Immortality is What We Leave Behind
by BedlamAnjelle
Summary: The lines between mythos and humans were very clear cut, and Marco liked it that way. Everyone knew that the great Suzaku had deemed humans savage and was content to have nothing to do with them ever again. Which is why the phoenix lord buying two humans- young boys, no less- at the auction came as a shock. Especially to Marco. Just what was he thinking, yoi? (Anjelle and Kitsune)
1. Fear is the Mother of Morality

**Chapter Title:_ Fear is the Mother of Morality_**

**Bedlam/Kitsune: Usually I just ramble in these. Well, let's see. This whole thing started a few days ago. I had a dream, and it was just so off the wall that I had to share it with Anjelle. She liked it, and we started shooting ideas back and forth, going "What if-then…." and around two hours later we decided we had to write this as a story. By now we have to have like over 80 pages worth of notes, there's a bunch on skype that hasn't even been put into the document yet. And we just started writing. It's been a lot of fun! Building an alternate universe is a lot of work, but when you have someone working with you it's just easier somehow. I know she's got a ton of other things to work on, and so do I…. so I don't know when we're going to get back to the next chapter….BUT I'll admit a good amount of said chapter is already outlined. And I'm probably going to get weird looks at work again when I go on lunch to read over what she's done in the document when I was away…. I think that was my second favorite part of working on this chapter. Seeing the changes that happened. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this story!**

**Anjelle: Psh, don't listen to her. I guarantee I'll have at least a scene of chapter 2 written by tomorrow. Anyways, this has been one of the funnest projects I've EVER taken on. We're only one chapter in and it's on _Divide_'s level of fun. THAT is scary. It's been so exciting, getting to collaborate on this with her. My god, her ideas! QAQ We have many plans, lovelies, many plans. Now, this _IS_ a FULL FANTASY AU (my first EVER) so I know some people might be put-off by that, but please give it a shot, 'kay? Things will pick up next chapter, I assure, but I think we have a nice pace going here. I'm kind of worried that it won't be seamless and you'll be able to tell who wrote what but since we went over it a few times... hopefully it'll be fine.**

**A few (IMPORTANT) notes~**

**-Ace and Luffy are, at first, going to have different names. The names (Atche and Luhfi) are based on their native language because they're foreign (and by foreign I mean from a place that doesn't exist) so we thought it'd be more realistic. Do not fear, though, because they'll be going back to Ace and Luffy really soon in a pretty amusing way. So just bear with it for now, yeah?**

**-There's a language barrier between the boys and the mythos. To show this, the italicized dialogue is what the POV focus (Ace in the first scene, Marco in the second ect) _cannot understand._ That way you still know what's going on but they don't~ :,D**

**-Canon familial relations aren't always the same in this story. For example, Ace and Lu are blood brothers and neither are Dragon's son. Hope that doesn't bother anyone but we have out reasons.**

**Disclaimer: Neither of us own One Piece (damn it, Oda!) but could you imagine if we did? ...Probably run it into the ground.**

* * *

><p>Crashes of waves rolled against the ship, rocking it back and forth as it attempted to stay afloat. Sea-sprayed winds caressed their flesh, masked by the heavy rains, giving him the cold kiss of death as he held fast to the tied-down crates surrounding him, warning him, <em>mocking <em>him.

He bit his lip.

Hugging the small bundle in his arms tighter, pressing it against his chest, he promised not to panic. They would be _fine._ They always were. Even as the blackened sky brought with it a foreboding storm, even as he heard the men on deck holler prayers to the skies, begging the gods to grant them mercy, he would not submit. His fear wouldn't control him. He would, however, admit that in the deepest regions of his mind he _might _have been a little… unsettled.

The tiny child in his arms stirred, shivering against the soaked fabric wrapped around him, causing the elder's unease to grow.

"It'll be alright," he assured, voice lost to the howling gusts ensnaring the ship. "I'm here, okay?"

"C-cold," a small voice choked through clattering teeth, barely audible amidst the sea's chaos.

Narrowing his eyes, he pressed the skin of his palm to the boy's arm, gritting his teeth when he was met with unnaturally chilled flesh. His heart sank and he huddled himself around the other more fully, trying to shield him from the relentless downpour assaulting them.

Where the _hell_ were they?

A piercing laugh cut through the insanity, unnaturally calm as men screamed about a leak being sprung in the haul, causing his thoughts to cease. Gray eyes snapped up, locked onto the body of a large, round _thing_, because whatever it was, it _was not human_. Its gaze bore down on him, a rotten-yellow smile stretching across dark skin.

_"What do we have here? Zehahaha!"_

In that moment, he was scared.

* * *

><p>The view from the carriage window did little to keep his interest, the same white clouds and pink-yellow skies retaining the same dull look they always did, leaving him to sigh and look back into the carriage. The journey wouldn't be much longer, he assured himself, but even at its end he wouldn't be granted relief.<p>

He hated the auction.

When Princess Hancock of the naga called for the gathering he had cringed knowing that, since the tiger had represented the old man during the last one a decade ago, the phoenix was next in line. Sure enough he was requested to attend and, unable to say no, he found himself making the long journey there via carriage, dressed in formal garb he rather never wear.

It was heavy. That was natural—the finely detailed embroidery weighed it down on top of the many layers that made up the ensemble—but he hated it all the same. And people wondered why he avoided social gatherings. Wasn't it obvious?

After staring at the inside wall of the coach for an unprecedented amount of time, his head dipped down, eyes falling to the long, flowing robes that hung freely beneath his sash. Bright, flamboyant reds entered his field of vision, reminding him of his lineage—of his name.

Again, he sighed. He really wasn't in the mood for this. He hated dealing with that woman's eccentric obsession—volatile collection of human oddities. Why she searched for such things when she had such a firm dislike of those creatures was beyond him. Why she forced them to come and admire it all, even more so.

As much as he hated the traditional wear he found himself in, he had to admit that the cuffs and overdress were impressively crafted, meticulously embroidered with patterns of off-white birds and symbols his family was known for, beaded tassels hanging gently from the ends. With such beautiful work he just _knew_ he would be bothered by the auction's other attendees.

It was going to be a _long _day.

_Damn it._

Taking the fine, orange silk of his skirt between his fingers, he peered out the window once more. The sky was just as empty but, looking down, he spotted a curious figure through the morning fog. At first it appeared to be no more than a group of tiny, dark flecks but as the carriage sailed across the wind, tunneling through the clouds towards the gathering, he spotted the iconic rooftops of the Kuja palace.

His shoulders deflated, both thankful to put an end to his mind-numbing ride and dreading the upcoming event. But progress was progress and the sooner the day was over, the sooner he could return to the old man's side. That comfort alone was enough to bring forth a rise of motivation from his gut and as the carriage came to gently land on the Kuja clan's soil, immediately within the palace walls, he resigned himself to see his duties through to the best of his abilities.

His servant wasted no time in opening the door for him and he straightened his back, once more cursing his long robes and loose, flowing sleeves as he readied to try to exit the transport without falling flat on his face.

Fortunately, he somehow managed to succeed.

The small entourage accompanying him hurried out of the bodies of their respective rides, assembling around him as the palace guards came to notice their arrival. The naga were quick to approach, standing before him with the utmost respect. Half-lidded eyes studied them, waiting to be spoken to first. It was the same every time. Couldn't they at least _try_ to make the event more intriguing?

"Master Suzaku," a woman greeted, bowing humbly when his eyes came to rest on her. She waited until signalled to rise, the belly of her serpent-like tail trailing along the ground as she came nearer. "It is an honour, Sire."

He resisted the urge to scoff inappropriately at her greeting, recognising her to be the princess's younger sister, a royal in her own right. Over the centuries he'd grown tired of such pointless treatment. But, being a representative at the auction, he had to keep face. That didn't mean he enjoyed it, though.

"The princess is present, I presume?" It was best to get obligatory greetings out of the way.

The younger princess blinked before nodding, hands clasped daintily in front of her. "She is."

"Take me to her yoi," he commanded, already starting towards the palace, having been there enough times to recall its layout perfectly.

"Ah, right!" the woman shouted, rushing to catch up to their guest.

Approaching the room he _knew _she was located, he braced himself. That woman could be difficult. He allowed the naga girl to knock and enter in his stead, knowing that if he had done so himself, her sister would not have been pleased. That was no way to treat guests in the Kuja palace and Boa would assure such customs were upheld, even with her own sibling.

The door was pushed open, revealing the stark white walls and decorative golds and reds within. The throne room was always where Hancock would be found during a gathering; it was the official place set aside for when guests were invited to the Kuja lands. Having come as early as he did, the phoenix expected to see her alone, or at least ordering some poor soul to finish with preparations for the later arrivals, but instead found her bickering with a rather unpleasant-looking troll that gave off the peculiar scent of sea salt. And she was _not_ happy.

"Sister, Master Suzaku has arrived."

The naga princess turned, every line of her body still radiating displeasure at the person she had been arguing with. "Marco?" Her eyes scrolled from her sibling to the blond in fiery traditional regalia, retaining her ever-present scowl in the face of men. "I was under the impression you didn't approve of my little auction, Phoenix Lord."

"I don't, yoi." He looked down at Hancock, not impressed with the way she tilted her body to capitalize on her beauty before looking away. She was said by many to be the vision of absolute splendor, but he didn't see it. "I'm here representing Whitebeard this time."

"Ah, yes. I did invite him, didn't I? Very well, then; maybe you'll find something that catches your interest. Though I feel I owe you an apology. It _seems_ I will have fewer goods to offer than I had originally anticipated."

Now that was unusual. The snake was meticulous in her catalog, if nothing else. It was one of the big draws of her auction. People came just to see the things she'd promised to have. "Oh?"

"Yes. It would seem the troll here couldn't complete a simple task." She rounded again on the very large man that was leering at her. It was nothing personal; trolls were baser creatures, feeding off of fear and lust when they could—nasty, violent beings—and it didn't surprise him at all that the naga had sent a troll, of all things, to 'retrieve' her merchandise if humans were involved. "All you had to do was dispose of the humans and bring my merchandise, Teach! How _hard_ is that? Even a lowly half-troll like you should have been able to manage _THAT_."

Teach's leer turned into a gap-toothed grin. "Yeah, but look what I found, Princess!" He hefted a squalling bag over his shoulder, dropping it on the floor between them with little ceremony and toeing it.

"What is _that_?" Hancock asked, lip curling in disgust. Now that the bag wasn't hidden by the troll's see-me-not magic, it smelled. Horribly. Marco tried hard to keep his own face impassive as the odour hit him, knowing it had to be much worse for the snake who could literally taste it in the air.

Teach didn't seem to notice nor care as he gleefully yanked off the rope that was holding the sack closed and reached in. It took a moment for Marco to blink the tears out of his eyes; the stench was overwhelming. When he did he saw the fat troll holding out two squirming, screeching _things_ in one hand. They were filthy, covered in layers of caked on grime. He laughed, watching them dangle from the chains connected to their wrists, feet kicking in the air in futile rage as they hissed and spat like wildcats. The troll dropped them when they started biting him, though it was obvious that it didn't hurt him.

"What do you think?" The troll asked, yanking the chains and forcing his captives to  
>squeal in pain.<p>

"_Humans?_ You lost half my shipment for a pair of... of... _human_ nestlings?" Hancock literally hissed.

Marco narrowed his eyes, trying to remain indifferent even as he watched the little creatures claw at their bindings, not bothering to notice the others in the room, desperate for  
>freedom. "Why, yoi?"<p>

Teach looked pleased with the question, even as he continued toying with them. "They had them all tied up on deck with those stupid squiggly pieces of paper everywhere, like they were something special. So I took them." The troll lifted his arm, the two shuddering, whimpering, tiny humans dangling in front of his face as his licked his rotten, yellowed teeth. "If you don't want 'um though, Princess, mind if I eat them?"

The snake furrowed her brow, scoffing at his question. She was livid—absolutely _appalled_. "_Eat them_?" she repeated in a snarl. "You should be lucky if I let you live after this—this _outrage_, you louse!"

With that she turned from him in a rage, eyes falling on her honoured guest as she tried to compose herself. Marco was sure she was aware of the amused glint in his eyes, the slight intrigue in the almost undetectable upward curve of his mouth as he witnessed her lost temper in the most embarrassing of ways. That was probably why she clenched her fist and took a deep breath to calm herself. Were the phoenix not present, she would have continued to rag on the servant, he was certain.

"Very well," she started in a quiet voice, "should no one desire to purchase those… _things_, you may keep them. But do not think you will go unpunished for your mistake."

The troll's grin widened almost dangerously and he pulled once more on the chains, causing the humans to fall forward onto the tiled floor. "I wouldn't dream of it, zehahaha!"

* * *

><p>The boy gasped out, arms flailing around in a panic as he searched for the surface of the water, his body weighed down by the manacles around his wrists. The stream wasn't much deeper than his head, fortunately, and it was only seconds before he burst into the open air, greedily inhaling all the oxygen his tiny lungs could contain.<p>

As soon as he was calm his eyes widened, horror-stricken as he realized his little brother hadn't surfaced.

"Luhfi!"

Quickly he dove back under, scouring the stream for any sign of his sibling and managing to catch his eyes on a familiar bright-red shirt, untainted by the crystal clear water they found themselves in. Despite feeling twice as heavy because of the bindings, he swam over to retrieve the child, making a bee-line for the shore as soon as he held the boy tight within his grasp.

They flopped down on the grassy plains at the edge of the water, breathless as their backs hit the earth. He looked over at the younger, watching as he choked out wet coughs, huddling nearer to his elder sibling in a desperate search for comfort.

Muffled sniffling met his ears. Poor kid couldn't swim. If he hadn't—

…He didn't want to think about that.

A familiar laugh met his ears, putrid in its sound, and he shot up to glare his hardest at its source. He wasn't sure what it was or why it brought them… wherever they were, but he knew that he hated it. At the same time, though, his body was exhausted. They'd been resisting for _hours _and hadn't even set the thing back in its plans for them, whatever those were. And honestly, it scared him. That creature was strong, far stronger than they could match, and they were at its mercy.

_Mercy._ He scoffed at the thought. _I doubt it knows what that is._

_"Get yourselves clean. Wouldn't want that stench in the auction house, zehahaha!"_

There it went again, speaking nonsense words that he had no way of understanding. But he understood when it walked over and snarled, pushing his younger brother further behind him despite the trembling of his limbs. If it attacked, could he really protect him?

Instead of trying to kill—or _eat_—them, it shoved a strange… thing (he needed to think of a more descriptive word) between their chains, pinning them down like leashed dogs. Giving them one last, rotten smile, it dropped a strange-smelling bar of—was that soap?—on the ground beside them, promptly taking its leave.

When it left his line of view, the boy tugged on the shackles, noting immediately that escape was impossible in his current state. He was hungry, tired and weak from struggling. There wasn't much else he could do.

Soft whimpers pulled him from his thoughts and his eyes settled on the kid beside him, lip quivering as he saw his sibling's tears. But he had to stay strong—for Luhfi. Since it wasn't hard to figure out what that thing wanted them to do, he grabbed the weird soap bar and dumped it into the water, gently taking the younger boy's hand in his own to begin cleaning him, hoping that it would take their minds off of the situation.

"A-Atche…"

His heart broke at the terrified trembling in his baby brother's voice but he didn't let it show. "What is it, Lu?"

"I'm sc-scared," he hiccupped, rubbing the tears from his eyes.

"I know."

"And I'm hungry…"

"Yeah, me too."

"I-is the monster going to come back?"

He bit his lip, knowing that his brother wouldn't like the answer. "It'll be okay, I promise. Let's get you cleaned up, alright?"

As the boy sniffled and shared a minute nod, he really hoped those words would hold true.

_Monster, huh?_ That was the perfect name for him.

* * *

><p>He'd forgotten just how much he <em>hated<em> these things. Lifetimes ago, someone had described the slowly changing groups as a dance. If that were the case, Marco had two left feet, because he had no interest what-so-ever in the new kits born in the cat sidhe tribe Bellemere spoke of. Nor did he particularly care to reminisce about the 'good-old-days' like Morgan, an onyx golem, insisted upon while they both examined a particularly exquisite set of jade bangles. Golems were very hard to dissuade, and it was for that reason alone that he was thankful for his entourage. All Marco had been required to do is make vague, non-committal noises and his loyal hangers-on did all the work.

Finally extracting himself away from the group he stifled a sigh. It wouldn't do to rush around and try to lose them, even if he _could,_ dressed as he currently was. With the slow pace of the proceedings, though, the heavy silks were much too warm for his tastes and Marco shifted his course accordingly. It was moments before he'd tracked down what he'd been looking for—a naga circulating the gallery laden with a tray of refreshments held high above her head.

"My Lord." She bobbed her head, forked tongue flicking out in an obvious case of nerves. Marco pretended not to notice as he gracefully took the goblet she selected for him. Apparently emboldened by that she settled her tray on her coils, reaching into a decorative bag around her waist and offering him an ornate fan. "If it pleases you?"

"It does." He offered her a small smile, taking the fan. "Thanks, yoi."

"Master Suzaku, you are much too kind to those who are of lesser stature than your divine self!" Turning slightly he saw that his entourage had indeed tracked him down, scaring off the servant in the process.

"So we're calling ourselves 'divine' now, bird?" someone guffawed behind him, earning scandalized gasps. Marco forced himself to keep his expression of schooled boredom, though he felt like grinning a bit himself as he turned to face the speaker.

"Well, I prefer 'stunning', you old fire-lizard." He flicked the fan he was holding sideways, a silent signal to his bunch of social leeches to make themselves scarce if they couldn't keep their words to themselves.

"Bwahahahaha! Nice comeback, Marco!" the dragon roared in laughter. "How've you been?"

Marco turned slightly, walking towards the next item he was interested in. "Well, Garp. Yourself? I had not expected to see you here, yoi."

"Fine, fine!" The dragon reached out to slap his arm, remembering his expensive silks at the last possible second. Done by any other mythos the move would have seemed either rude or an awkward save, but Garp was a dragon. Some said dragons were too laid-back for their own good, and that elder was living proof. "Dragon'll be sorry he missed you! Only reason I'm here at all is 'cause that whelp of mine's busy right now. And let me tell you, Boa was _pissed_!"

He felt his lips twitch, imagining that. "I'll bet she was, yoi."

"Can't imagine why, though." Garp's toothy grin belied that statement. "Well. I'll let you get back to _this_." He flicked a clawed finger at the intricately carved combs on display. "I think I saw a real unicorn bridle over there somewhere. Bet I could really piss off some people if I bid on it."

"You are a bad man, Garp."

"Only sometimes," the dragon laughed, striding away without a care for the slow, intricate dance going on around him.

The combs were beautiful. Definitely human in origin, but there was a faint whiff of something else along Marco's senses as he studied the gold and ivory hair decorations. There was a simple card stating that these combs had been acquired in human lands by a pride of gryphons and later presented to the naga princess as a gift. Marco snorted, suspecting that the gryphon in question had more than likely been enamored with Hancock and all too willing to bring her all the pretty human baubles he could tempt her with before she'd inevitably lost interest. She was a fickle viper, and it amazed him that even after a few hundred years men still played her petty, violent little game.

The opening suggestion had been scratched out, the bidder apparently someone named Nami who was willing to pay five beli more. Marco picked up the pen next to the card and paused for a moment. He didn't particularly need the combs himself, obviously. And whoever Nami was, she may very well really like them. On the other hand, he was sure Izo would like them as well. Before he could change his mind he scratched out Nami's name and bid and wrote his own—double what hers was—and underlined the number, letting anyone who saw the card know that was his final bid. Before long, some of the naga would go around and report to people if they'd been outbid on items. It helped cut down on the crush of people at the exhibits and that way some of the more excitable guests didn't even need to be bothered with remembering what they'd bid on in the first place. So if Nami really wanted them she could always raise the bid. If she conceded and there hadn't been another bid after two hours, Marco would automatically win the item. It would stay on display until the very end of the auction where he could choose to have his winnings delivered or bring them home himself.

He let the ebb and flow of the crowd take him down the line of curios. None of it really caught his eye as he listened with half an ear to the false praise heaped upon him by people he rarely saw. At one point he found himself in a small bidding war with the mer-shark Jinbe, though he didn't see his friend at all. Turning his attention away from the jar of honeyed milinal apples, he found a naga at his sleeve, the same one he'd been at 'war' with Jinbe through.

"Jinbe coincides. He'd also like to know when you're going to pop the cask open, since he claims you owe him a drink."

Marco actually smiled. "Tell him that's up to the old man, yoi. The alcohol is for him. But I'll be sure to invite him."

"Very good, Sire." The naga marked the card in her hand. "I'm going to cheat a bit and mark you as the winner. No one else has bid except you two." She winked.

"Thanks."

"My pleasssure. This has been the most fun I've had all day."

The phoenix was still in a good mood when he went to put his name down on the apples, until he saw who the last bidder had been: Doflamingo. Suddenly he didn't want the apples anymore. Just the thought of thunderbirds in general left a bad taste in his mouth, and _that_ thunderbird made his pinions prickle. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that he was not ruled by instinct. He was a mythos, not some human to go off half-cocked. It helped, but admittedly not much. Thunderbirds by nature were forces of destructive change and everything that went with it. Reluctantly, he turned away.

So far the auction was as he'd expected. He'd easily won the alcohol Whitebeard wanted, and a decent set of combs he thought Izo might like. But there was nothing that caught his interest. Raucous laughter had him wandering towards the front of the gallery towards the entrance. It seemed Hancock's plan to sell the human curs had garnered a crowd at least. He joined the semi-circle of mixed mythos that jeered at the now cleaner specimens. They were thoroughly trapped, a lightning rod jammed into the ground between the links in the chains from their wrists. Both seemed exhausted as they huddled next to each other. The only shade provided to them was that of their spectators. If they hadn't been human, he might have felt pity for them.

"What about you, Mihawk? You gonna take them?"

"...No." Sharp gold eyes stared down at the crouched figures. "Too young. If I were to purchase human entertainment, it would need to be old enough to at least put up a good fight for the fledglings." He quickly dismissed the idea and looked over to the naga in charge of the lot. "Tell your princess I'd be _most_ interested if she comes across any decent human fighters. I would pay good money for a combat slave."

The serpent swallowed under the gaze before nodding mutely.

Marco doubted anyone else there saw the humor in the raptor's look when their eyes met briefly, sharing in the private joke. Phoenix birds were not normally considered threatening, usually being viewed as too ornate _now_ by those who'd never been on the wrong side of a fight with one, but Marco was old enough to remember a time when snakes, rabbits, and rats used to look at him like that—like he was a predator to avoid being seen by at all costs.

The air chilled, alerting him to a most unwelcome presence. "What have we here?" Doflamingo bent down, folding himself nearly in half to look at the two humans that stared up at him with wide eyes. Marco could see the corners of the thunderbird's eyes crinkle under his traditional mask as he grinned. "Fufufufufu! Humans! How _adorable_! And so small and helpless, too."

"They are human young," the naga dutifully told the giant bird of destruction. Marco really wished that she hadn't, but unfortunately snakes didn't have the fear of death-bringers they should.

"Are they now?" He stepped over a few people to get closer to the humans, head cocked to the side like the carrion eater he was. "How much?"

Marco tried, he really did try to keep his mouth shut. He told himself that it was a better fate than being eaten by a troll, at least. Except he knew it was a lie. He'd seen firsthand what _this_ Lord of the Thunderbirds did to amuse himself. "Stop it. You don't want them, yoi."

"I think I do," Doflamingo snapped back, a hand shooting out to latch around the smaller human's leg. "I've been bored. I could use some new pets. Do you think they're trainable?"

Finally the naga seemed to realize something was wrong, though it could have been the threat to her mistress's merchandise. Her tail began to twitch nervously. "I-I couldn't say, sir. But, they _are_ young."

The dark bird smiled at that, feathers settling as he lifted the human by its leg and watched the other's attempts to get it down. Compared to hours ago their struggles were sluggish, and Marco found himself idly wondering just how much longer they could go on before passing out. Humans were weak, after all. The laughter of his fellow mythos, while not surprising, wasn't something he could bring himself to join in on. Human or not, tormenting the weak had never been something to laugh at. He didn't try to stop it, since if it really was a problem the naga would say something. That was what she was there for; to provide information and protect the merchandise if needed.

A stronger kick from the upside-down human actually managed to connect with Doflamingo's mask, knocking it askew.

"BRAT!" the mythos cawed, grip tightening around the human's leg in obvious anger. It was over; he was going to kill it.

"Maybe I should buy them, after all," Mihawk spoke up, stopping the other bird. "After all, the little one seems to have gotten _you_ ruffled."

Doflamingo dropped the human, voice tight. "No, you just need to be firm with a pet, hawk. It's how you train them."

"And if you kill them in the process?" Marco realized he was the one who spoke when everyone looked at him.

He didn't like the way Doflamingo tapped the side of his mask in contemplation. "Then I guess I _really_ break them, hmmm?" He refused to say anything to that. Refused to rise to the bait, to think about that time… He was better than that damn death-bringer, and he had nothing to prove. He was just going to turn and walk away, because it was _not his problem_. "So, how much for the both of them again?"

_Conceited carrion eater._

He spun, pinning the naga with his stare. He made sure she saw just how annoyed he was with her for her _uselessness_ in the whole situation. It had the desired effect; she froze, completely focused on Marco. "I'll pay whatever you're asking plus half."

* * *

><p>The only thing soothing Atche's shot nerves was the soft, barely noticeable movement of his little brother's chest as he breathed, head resting comfortably on the elder's lap. It was getting harder to stay awake with each passing moment, a reminder of how long it had been since they were allowed <em>rest.<em> But they _couldn't_ rest—not with those _monsters_ keeping them there. What if they hurt Lu? He couldn't sleep and leave his poor, helpless little brother undefended.

Earlier they'd thrown them in a room filled with a large assortment of what appeared to be random things gathered together from different parts of the world. They were pinned by their chains, just like when they were brought to that big place with all the monsters, all staring at them and laughing and _touching his little brother_—like that blond one with the stupid mask. When that thing first walked up they were scared, having seen the talons on its fingertips and the clearly inhuman features it sported. When the ugly, round monster from earlier looked at them it would lick its lips—did they eat people? They weren't going to eat _Lu_ were they?—but the man-like thing just grinned and everything about it _screamed _danger. It and two others who Atche hadn't bothered to look at bickered about something, examining them like pieces of meat.

Was that what they were to those monsters? Food? Was that all their lives amounted to?

Eventually one voice quieted the others. He and his brother were promptly sent away after that, but he never got a chance to see who ended the torment. He remembered the voice, though—smooth and calm amongst a flurry of irritating noise and mocking jibes. It was that impassioned tone that got the staring to stop. For that, he was grateful.

The creatures treated them like cargo to be stored in a spare room. The snake-people who kept toting them around everywhere would glower at them like they were dirt, muttering insults before leaving. He couldn't understand what they were saying but it was obvious by the intonation that it wasn't exactly nice.

After hours of _nothing_, he was starting to lose his battle with sleep. Luhfi had made him into a makeshift bed long ago and was snoring away, leaving him with no one to talk to and nothing to do. It was _mind_-numbing.

Finally the set of large doors at the front of the room creaked open. Dozens of monsters filed in, chattering away in that strange language of theirs as they dispersed, grabbing knick-knacks and furniture and stuff that he really couldn't identify from where he was situated. A few stepped over to the brothers to have a look and he snarled at them, almost like a growl, warning them off. They didn't seem put-off by the action, smirking and laughing before moving towards the back.

The crowd grew before dispersing and eventually no one was left but the snake-man (guard?) at the door, watching for anyone else. For a long while no one came and he thought that, after surviving that nightmare, he could grant himself a moment of rest. He closed his eyes, just for a second…

A rhythmic tapping brought him from his dream-like state. Atche forced his heavy lids to open, blearily peering towards the door as the patter of shoes against the floor neared. There was another one?

It seemed like forever before the creature rounded the corner and his eyes widened. Immediately he began nudging his brother, ignoring his protests of 'five more minutes' as he gawked.

The figure was clad in the most brilliant of clothes, a mesh of vibrant reds and yellows and oranges with embroidery unrivalled by any he had seen before. The layers of long, loose cloth seemed to glide along the ground to create the illusion of floating, betrayed only by the sound of his footsteps.

With a few groggy groans Luhfi sat up, yawning and wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"I'm still tired," he complained, looking like he was about to speak once more but the words caught in his throat as his eyes settled on the approaching man. Suddenly whatever he wanted to say seemed meaningless and he stared, just like his elder brother, with a slack jaw.

The elegant traditional wear may have been what caught Atche's attention first, but the real shock and surprise came when he looked up at the wearer's face, met with foreign blond hair and blue eyes. But he was _human._ Or, he at least _looked _human. And as that blond foreign man stopped in front of them, dull eyes boring into his own, he thought maybe they had been saved.

After a particularly awkward stare-down, the blond looked over his shoulder and said something in that _damned_ nonsensical language to the snake-person… thing. He wished he could understand. He wished he knew what was going on. But that man didn't look like a monster so maybe he wouldn't eat them or hurt them. Maybe he was safe.

Betraying the heavy layers of fine silks draped across his body, the blond crouched down, indifferent eyes studying the brothers with calculating coldness. They pulled their mouths taut, wondering why he was looking at them like that before he grabbed Atche by the arm and not-so-gently pulled him closer, ignoring it when the boy yelped and tugged back. He wasn't deterred, though, and moved his free hand to hold the human's chin in place, turning it to study different angles with a careful look in his eyes.

Atche glowered at him, wondering what the hell he was trying to do. But just as quickly as he was grabbed, he was released. The blond stood tall once more, looking down at them like they were inferior.

He was just like the rest.

One of the snake people walked up to the three, rubbing its hands together anxiously. _"Are they to your liking, sir?"_

Whatever he asked, the blond seemed to contemplate, his eyes moving from Atche to Luhfi and back again. _"They'll do, yoi."_

Why couldn't he _understand_? It was so aggravating! For all he knew, they were discussing the best ways to roast them!

_"Bring me the keys,"_ he continued. _"I'll need them later."_

_"Yes, Master Suzaku."_ With those few incoherent sounds and a bow, the snake-creature exited to the hall, leaving the boys with the blond stranger to whatever fate he wished.

His stare was unsettling. It was relentless, not indulging in the brief glances away that a human would, not allowing them any relief. But then he looked down curiously. Atche followed his eyes, gasping when he saw his little brother bunching the fine silk robes in his fist, looking at the bright colours and intricate patterns. He sputtered, grabbing at his brother to tug him away.

"What are you _doing_?" he questioned in a shout. "Don't piss it off!"

"But it's so pretty, Atche! Look!"

"Idiot!" he chastised. The last thing he needed was for the most human-like creature they'd seen in days to get upset with them. He didn't want to know how that would end.

An amused snort brought both boys' faces to rise, looking into the mostly indifferent face of the man. Despite the sound he made, he didn't smile.

_"Noisy little things, aren't you?"_

When the man did nothing but meet their stares, Luhfi had apparently declared him safe, breaking out into the widest of grins as he continued to clutch tightly to the floor-length orange skirt. "You're a really pretty lady!"

Atche's heart just about jumped out of his chest as he waited for the man's reaction, suddenly happy that he didn't seem to understand their language just as they didn't his. But despite Luhfi's friendly smile, despite the happy tone of his voice, the stranger didn't react. He didn't seem to care.

When met with no disapproving glance, no warning signs that he had done something wrong, the younger boy took another step closer and grabbed the cloth with both hands. He tried to pull himself flush with the blond but his shackled limbs reached the end of their chain.

"O-oi, Lu, what are you…"

His little brother turned to him, grinning through his exhaustion. "I think she's nice!"

He rolled his eyes. "It's a boy, Lu."

"Eh?" The child blinked. "But she's wearing a dress!"

"Well…" While it _did_ look like women's clothes—somewhat similar to expensive robes he'd seen sold in town once from a far-off country—the man's features were clearly, well, _masculine._

Satisfied when his sibling had no retort, Luhfi returned his attention to the stranger. The richly-clothed man was starting to look awkward—uncomfortable—as the human clung to him. Atche stopped his inward panic to stare at him curiously. Did he… did he not know what to do? Was he not used to being touched by kids? Or was it because they weren't monsters?

"Are you gonna help us, lady?"

The blond's brows furrowed as he scowled down at the boys, eyes turning hard. Suddenly his earlier fears returned. He wanted to pull his sibling away, wrap him in the protective hold of his arms, but never had a chance.

Hurriedly the servant returned, the jingling of keys floating along the air. He promptly handed the human-like creature the ring, bowing yet again with the utmost respect.

_"Is that all, Master Suzaku?"_

Atche's eyes widened. _Su… za… ku…_ He'd heard that strange, foreign name before. But where? _When?_ It sounded important…

_"I'll be taking them now, yoi."_

_"Right, Sire."_

_Damn it all,_ why couldn't he understand?

As the snake bent down and removed the large spikes pinning the links of their chains to the floor his jaw went slack. That was their chance! Without missing a beat he scooped up his brother and bolted towards the door, falling flat on his face almost instantaneously. He rubbed his throbbing forehead, cursing as he looked back to see a certain man's foot weighing down on the end of his manacle with that same indifferent expression he wore earlier.

"Oi!" he growled out, gritting his teeth as he sat up, "leave us alone! What do you even _want _from us?"

The blond raised an eyebrow, probably because he hadn't comprehended a word the child spat at him, but quickly recovered and took the bindings into his hand, tousling them slightly as though to emphasis the control he held.

_Cocky bastard._ But as much as Atche might have wished he could make him regret that action, he knew he couldn't—not as he was. What was he to do, then? Just let it do what it wished—whisk them away to who-knows-where for god-knows-why? He hated to admit it, but he was running out of options.

The being glanced at the servant one last time, grip on their chains tightening. _"You may leave yoi. Tell your princess that I am honoured to have attended."_

_"Right, sir. Thank you, sir."_ The snake dipped into a low bow, its body folding as far forward as it could without tipping over, before it left in a calm, respectful manner, never turning its back on the blue-eyed man.

The large door at the front slammed shut and the effect on the blond was instantaneous as he slouched slightly, taking a less dignified poster as he released an airy breath. Something seemed to change in him as he mumbled a few words, too quiet to catch even if Atche _had_ known the language.

For a moment he seemed to have forgotten about the two guarded children held close to him by heavy shackles but eventually that realization returned and his eyes met theirs yet again. But, just like moments ago, he sighed.

_"Why am I doing this?"_ The human didn't know the words but could tell from the raised intonation at the end that it was a question, though he didn't feel it was directed at them. And he _looked_ at them. That look was _piercing_. _"You two are going to cause me a lot of trouble yoi; I can feel it."_

The being took a step.

Air hitched in his throat as he jumped to his feet, arms splayed to shield his baby brother. "Stay back!" he commanded, momentarily forgetting that the blond didn't seem to know what he was saying. "Don't you _dare_ touch him!"

A flicker of amusement shone through those blue irises, gone just as quickly. The man didn't heed his words, moving forward once more.

Atche stepped back, forcing Luhfi to do the same.

_"Feisty little human, aren't you?"_ He stopped only when he was toe-to-toe with the elder boy. Then the bastard raised its hand, mockingly dangling the key ring in front of their faces. And Atche had to still, to go quiet, because he knew what that meant: he couldn't fight back. _"Better, yoi. If you don't wish to be troll fodder or a carrion lover's plaything, I suggest you come with me."_

Swallowing the urge to spew more tough words he couldn't back up, the boy pushed his brother further behind him and pulled his mouth taut. "In case you haven't noticed, I don't know what the hell you're saying."

A silence passed and the being seemed to consider the broken communication they practiced, though the human was certain its grasp of his words was just as poor as the reverse. Moments later it held out its hand, waiting.

Should he take it?

Luhfi, of course, didn't allow for a moment of thought as he stepped away from his human shield to latch onto the outstretched appendage, giddy laughter passing his lips even through the exhaustion and the hunger and the fear. The elder saw how the creature cringed at the touch, a flash of repulsion coming and going as the boy dangled from its wrist. It was disgusted by them, perhaps to a stronger extent than some of the monsters they'd encountered—the ones who very well may have wanted to _devour them_.

"I told you she was nice!" Luhfi cheered, clinging to the stranger worryingly close.

Atche remained fixed to the tiled floor, unwilling to move even as his brother was hoisted into the air and _sniffed_ by the thing, investigating him like some sort of wild animal. The boy wasn't deterred at all by this, laughing in his excitement over the possibility of being rescued, reaching out his hands to explore the skin of its face even when it showed its displeasure. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe it—whatever _'it'_ was—didn't mean them harm. In any case, it was probably better than staying with that ugly, round monster and getting eaten, right?

As the generously-robed blond's patience wore down, the human stepped forward.

_"Wise choice, pet."_

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><p><strong>Mythos mentioned in this chapter:<strong>

**Phoenix: Mythical bird of rebirth. There're different types depending on what mythology you look at, Greeks have the classic Phoenix, but there's also the Persian Anka, the Russian firebird, and the Chinese Fenghuang to name a few. In this story, they're all the same clan. Marco's a phoenix.**

**Cait Sidhe: Fairy cat in Celtic and Scottish mythology. Though some stories say it's a witch that can turn into a cat a set number of times. In this story they're related to other cat mythos tribes. Bellamire is a Cait Sith. Nami is not, she's adopted.**

**Troll: From Noris and Scandinavian mythology. In this story Teach is a ½ troll. Classic trolls in mythology don't feed off of lust, but there are tales of them terrorizing people. And yes, they will eat people.**

**Naga: From Hinduism/Buddhism. Lots of stories on these and descriptions too, from full snakes to being described as beings with just the lower body of a snake, sometimes as snakes with a human head. Handcock and her clan are all Naga, and most retain more serpent-like looks. Boa can look more 'human' than others.**

**Golem: From Jewish folklore. Being created from inanimate matter. In this story, Golems are made out of different types of minerals. Morgan is a golem.**

**Thunderbird: Native American legends. Classically a bringer of storms. When it flies it blacks out the sun, it's wing claps create thunder, and it drops lightning from it's beak. Thunderbirds are about change, being storms. Some oral stories speak of thunderbirds snatching children. They're known to be wrathful in legends when they feel they've been 'wronged'. Doflamingo is a Thunderbird.**

**Mer-Shark: A sub tribe of the merfolk, shark based. Shouldn't have to tell you what a mermaid/merman is, right? Lots of cultures have them. For this story there are some that can go on land, and some that can't. None ever looks very human. In this story they're fond of drinking, or at least Jinbe is.**

**Dragon: Another creature that shows up in mythologies across the globe with only slightly different forms, or the same basic form and different names. They're very direct and protective of those weaker than themselves in this story. The dragon clan is one of the few clans that has no problem with humans, even if humans don't feel the same way. Garp is a Dragon, and so is his son, Dragon. (We have an amusing side-story to later explain the lack of creativity for Dragon's name, rest assured.)**

**Hawk: I know I know, you're all thinking "But a hawk is a hawk!" And you're right... but you're wrong, too. See, hawks show up all over the place in mythology. They've been messengers of the gods, gods themselves, omen bringers. Well, you get the idea, right? So, Hawks are one of those mythos races that have the unique position of sharing their clan name with regular animals. Don't look down on them for it though. Hawks are prideful and everyone knows they have no sense of humor (lies). Mihawk is a Hawk.**

**(Do you see why I love her? Bedlam wrote all that out for you guys~ And there's obviously more to come. So please leave us a review and tell us what you think, yeah? This chapter was a lot of work. Worth it, of course, but I - Anjelle, not so much Bedlam - have been worrying over whether it's too weird for you guys. Care to give me some reassurance? :,D)**

***Chapter title quote by Friedrich Nietzche**

**Adieu~**


	2. Even to Live is an Act of Courage

**Bedlame: Bedlam here. First, I just want to thank all of you who've taken the time to read chapter one! It means a lot to us! Really. Secondly (and I do not say this lightly) FUCK! This chapter is a monster. Like, Over 14,000 words without The handly little who-is-what, author notes or review replies. Please don't expect this on a regular update basis. We honestly could not spit this chapter. Lots happens. I can't say anything else without *Spoilers*... Anjelle has been scolding me on staying up too late working on this as well as other stuff, so hopefully you'll see an update or two from me in the next week under my own account. I've been working on them, just been busy. Chapter three? Uh, yeah. It's started, but I think we need a break after this bad boy.**

**Anjelle: ...A break? I was actually going to start on my first scene for chapter 3 after a shower buuut if you say so~ So guys. Guys. Guys. GUYS. This chapter. My god. I know a few of you saw me ranting on tumblr about the length but HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?! We were aiming for like 8,000 words ;_; So be sure to make sure you get comfortable before you start reading because you ain't gonna be getting up for a while! And thanks SO much to the reviews for renewing my confidence QAQ I'm glad some people like these kinds of stories! Also: IT'S HER FAULT I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT I SWEAR SHE DID IT NOT ME *cough* Not... all me. Ahem. So, enjoy your chapter! I'll go hide.**

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><p>Humans, Marco decided, were devilish little creatures.<p>

The hatchlings he had purchased at the auction feigned obedience when being led down the halls of the naga palace, being sure to stick close to him just as he'd wanted. As much as he detested the way they clung to him, years of displeasure weighing down on his nerves, he'd allowed the smaller one to rest in his arms. They may have been beings thought inferior to the mythos, but he ignored that if only because the youngling felt so unsettlingly light. Admittedly, the phoenix lord hadn't much knowledge of humans. He preferred not to deal with them at all, in fact. He may have not known much about them but even still it was painfully obvious that something was wrong. He couldn't say what it was but their pale complexion and drooping, tired eyes had him putting his prejudices aside and actually _sympathizing_ with them. That was something he never thought he could do. So, carrying the younger in one arm and allowing the elder to hold onto the other, he made it to the carriage just inside the palace walls.

That was when things went to hell.

At first the boys—even _he_ could tell a human's sex—sat quietly, patiently in the coach. The tiny one crawled into the other's lap and small arms wrapped around his waist to keep him still. Gray eyes stared at him with caution and uncertainty but both boys remained stationary. Satisfied with the level of obedience they showed, Marco leaned forward, ignoring the flinch he received from the taller one as he slipped the keys into their shackled wrists, effectively freeing them as two pairs of large, shocked eyes gawked unabashedly his way. He grabbed the cuffs, setting them on the floor.

"Behave," he began, "and you won't need to wear these yoi." He knew they wouldn't understand. They were just humans, holding not even basic comprehension of the language of the mythos. But he felt he had to say it anyways—if only for himself.

The problems started when the carriage lifted, taking off into the skies as the long ride home began. The infernal _noise_ they made was enough to drive a person mad as they leapt from their seats and flung themselves at the window, their volume increasing as they looked outside.

_"What the—we're—HOW?!"_

_"Atche look, we're flying!"_

_"I can see that, Lu!"_ While he didn't know the words they used—if they were words at all—he could tell by the sound of it that they were scared. One was, at least—the elder of the two. His tone was scolding through the unease as he held fast to the younger's shirt, keeping him from falling out the window as he leaned over the sill. The other seemed more excited than anything, having taken calmly to everything they'd witnessed thus far which, in Marco's opinion, wasn't anything special. _Humans, always so quick to go on alert. _He supposed the boy was able take such a relaxed approach only because of the one looking out for him. He was nothing more than a nestling by the look of it—they _were_ human young, as the naga servant had told him, but just how young?—so the elder, likely one of his kin, had to care for him. He supposed that even humans, one of the less evolved species, indulged in familial bonding.

But that fact didn't help with the _infernal noise _they spewed.

"Oi," he started, his voice calm and even through his inward annoyance. No matter what he felt, he was a dignified phoenix lord and he would be _damned_ if he was going to let a pair of mortals ruin that. Both suddenly jolted at the sound, craning their necks around to look at him with hesitance and uncertainty. "Quiet yourselves. It wouldn't do good to get on my nerves when I just spared you the misfortune of becoming lunch yoi."

They looked between each other.

_"…What did she say, Atche?"_

_"I don't—I told you it's a BOY."_

_"But her dress!"_

_"Like I said, it's not—"_

"Oi," he called again, just as firm and calm as ever. Again they stopped, allowing him their attention, but that did little good when they couldn't understand his words. That knowledge was frustrating; should he have had the patience and know-how, he would have taught them how to speak. Perhaps one of the servants could take on such a task. In any case, he pressed his pointer against his lips, recalling body language he'd witnessed humans use in the past, happy to see a flash of recognition on their faces.

It went quiet, the children pursing their lips to keep from speaking, and the ride continued with some semblance of peace.

But it didn't end there. Oh no, it _wouldn't_ end there.

After a long, seemingly endless flight, the carriage landed. The humans grabbed onto whatever they could find as it descended towards the grounds of the southern compound, yelps of surprise and fear escaping their throats. When back on solid ground they didn't wait for Marco's permission, not adhering to their status as property as they bolted through the carriage door and collapsed breathlessly on the ground.

The phoenix followed close behind, far less panicked and never breaking his calm composure. He could hear members of his entourage whisper insults at his pets, about how untrained they were—barbaric little creatures. But, to be honest, their actions didn't surprise him; it wasn't like humans had wings, right? Mortals had nothing to explore the skies with, no vehicles and no appendages that supported flight. In a way he could sympathise, vaguely recalling a time long ago when he learned how to fly.

It was the _noise_ that bothered him.

_"Oi, Lu,"_ called the taller one as he sat back on his haunches, his right arm pressed reassuringly on the nestling's back, _"you okay?"_

_"Mm,"_ the boy sounded with a nod before raising his head with a grin. "_That was fun! Can we do it again?"_

_"No, you idiot!"_

_"Awe, but it was so cool!"_

Before the elder had a chance to retort, the blond approached them. Immediately both sets of eyes were on him, a flash of fear and panic crossing their features before settling once more. Even for humans they seemed on-edge; every movement he made brought forth a rise of fear in the pair. The little one, who seemed the more trusting of the two, would instinctively reach for his kin every time something surprised him before returning to his more open, curious self.

He recognised those movements.

His concerns were quickly forgotten when the boys recovered, hopping energetically to their feet as they finally turned their attention to their surroundings, apparently deeming their new owner 'safe' amongst the unfamiliarity of the new world they'd been wrapped up in. Marco wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not but, for the sake their cooperation, he was pleased enough.

Then things took a turn.

The phoenix lord could tell something was wrong when their backs straightened, stiffening unnaturally as they looked ahead. Their heads spun furiously, taking in all of the mythos, mostly servants, littering the palace grounds before the elder pulled the nestling into his arms, taking a protective stance as he tried to mask the trembling of his arms behind a brave front. But that was all it was and Marco could see it—a mask, thinly veiling the fear behind.

Taking a step, he reached for the taller one's shoulder. As the tips of his fingers lightly brushed the fabric of the human's shirt the boy jumped, spinning around to look at him with such _betrayal_ that he momentarily froze. That pause was all the child needed to lift the younger into his arms and dash away with all of his speed, leaving the blond to stare absently at where they'd been.

At first he remained still, impassive on the outside yet internally confused. But as the eyes around him turned his way, he began to understand; for every servant present there was a new creature they were unfamiliar with. Torn from the world they knew, how could they just blindly accept everything they had seen? Humans by nature were fearful things. It was only natural that they ran.

Still, staring at where they'd disappeared only moments ago, he decided not to pursue. They would need time and he wasn't certain he could handle two scared younglings. For the moment, he would leave them be—let them adjust on their own. They wouldn't be hard to find anyways, what with that overpowering stench of theirs.

* * *

><p>Atche ran. He ran and ran and <em>ran<em> until the skin of his feet turned raw. It took a while before he finally settled on a hiding place behind one of the smaller buildings, allowing his body to fall from panic-mode only when he was sure no one was pursuing. All was quiet as he slid down the wall, taking deep, haggard breaths as his shaky arms fell limp against his sides, releasing his younger brother.

He thought that man was safe. He thought that, despite the _hell_ that round monster put them through, things would be okay. The blond, robed in colours of warmth and fire, dressed in cloth so rich Atche was left speechless, was their last hope. But when he looked around all he saw were monsters—dozens of them! They weren't safe there! That was why he had to get them away; he had to protect his brother.

Luhfi crawled out of his lap, blinking with owlish eyes as the elder caught his breath. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, Lu, don't worry."

"But Atche—"

"I'm _fine_," he insisted, tousling his sibling's hair. The last thing he needed was for the brat to think something was wrong, especially when he wasn't sure himself.

That man hadn't hurt them. He didn't seem to particularly like them, but he'd done no wrong, either. It felt great, being free of the shackles once chaffing his wrist, and why would he free them if he wasn't good? But Atche also saw the danger in his eyes—the distaste he held for them, for what they were. When he saw the creatures surrounding them, all looking at him and looking at _Luhfi,_ he panicked. He couldn't stay, couldn't risk them hurting his brother. So he ran.

"You sure?"

Pleading eyes met his and he had to smile, hugging his sibling close. "I'm sure. Now let's get out of here, okay?"

The boy broke out in a grin so wide it should have been impossible. "Okay!"

He remained calm on the outside, but cursed inwardly as he looked ahead, eyes falling on a tall, white outer wall enclosing the compound. No trees around, no grooves in the stone—how would they get out? But he couldn't voice his uncertainties. He couldn't let Luhfi know that something was wrong.

_Fuck_.

He had to try. There had to be _some way_. So he gathered his brother into his arms, ignored the searing pain as tiny rocks embedded themselves in the pads of his feet, and ran.

But eventually robes of fiery reds and oranges entered his vision and by then he could no longer run.

* * *

><p>After twenty minutes of waiting the phoenix decided to locate the runts, continuing where they left off. They were <em>not <em>pleased by that, kicking and squirming to try to break free, shouting nonsense at him as though he understood. Considering how furiously they resisted, he was glad he'd changed into less constricting, simpler robes before fetching them.

Marco gave up trying to lead his new 'pets' anywhere. It was obvious they couldn't be trusted to follow simple directions after the third time the taller one tried to bolt. Annoying, savage little human.

Since they refused to listen or follow along quietly, he was stuck carrying them. Dragging them did _not_ work; the small one somehow latched on to _everything_. It was trying and exhausting. Both of them shouted gibberish at him, kicking his chest when he let go of their legs to open the doors. At long last he found what he was looking for: a room he could toss the damn brats into that _should_ hold them. At least long enough to find a servant to dump them onto and get Thatch over before he was forced to murder the damn things for his sake of mind.

"You. Humans. Stay. STAY, yoi." Well, they paused long enough for him to breathe a sigh of relief. That was something, right? "Are you hungry?"

The taller one had the nerve to _growl_ at him as they locked glares. Asking them was pointless, it seemed, but at least he tried. Eyebrow twitching, he shut the doors and locked them in, turning to the nearest servant-in-waiting. The mythos, a dog who'd been working for his household for a number of months, jolted when tired eyes came to rest on him.

"Y-yes, Master Suzaku?"

"Watch them."

"…Excuse me, Milord?"

"You don't have to go inside yoi," they might have been diseased, so perhaps quarantine was in order, "just make sure they don't escape. Or hurt themselves." He peered into the window, watching as the pair studied the room, looking for another way out. Eventually the small one was cradled in the other's arms, soothing circles being rubbed into his back, and Marco had to sigh. Really, what was he thinking, taking in two human pets? "Understand?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good," he replied as he walked away, rounding the corner to begin the long trek to another wing of the compound, one where he was sure a certain _cat_ would be lurking. He ignored the servants and guards who welcomed his return, greeted him with smiles and formalities that he just wasn't in the mood to deal with. Those human brats had irked him. He understood, though. They were someplace new and unfamiliar, separated from their species, their kin. So he couldn't be mad, really, but the brats left him wondering why he'd taken them in the first place. To keep them away from that damned carrion-lover and out of the troll's stomach? Was it _really_ worth it? They tried to _bite _him.

…He should have been prepared for that. Humans bite; he read that somewhere.

The blond had passed from his wing to the other, approaching a familiar room as he thought of just what to say, how to word it. Seeing no servants around, he didn't bother knocking—just stepped right in, watching as a clueless redhead turned his way, face breaking into a large grin as he tapped the mat he was sitting on.

"Marco, buddy!" he exclaimed, leaning forward as the blond's half-lidded eyes settled on him. "You survived the auction. I'm proud."

Immediately the phoenix deflated and accepted the invitation to sit with his brother, dropping across from him, eye's scrolling down to the cat's crossed legs. He always envied him for being able to sit like that, looking down as his own to see talons peeking from beneath his robes. Keeping those legs regardless of his form was a little annoying; he'd like to sit like that, too, but he didn't really feel like breaking his legs to do so.

"Somehow, yoi," he replied at length, pushing his weight onto his arms as he sighed. The day's stresses finally made themselves known in the form of a throbbing head.

"What'd you get me?" he teased.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" the redhead echoed, face sagging into a pout.

Marco sifted through his memories to try to recall just why, exactly, he hadn't gotten anything for his brother. _Ah, right._ "There was a jar of honeyed milinal apples," he stated offhandedly.

The cat gasped, clawed hands flying to his face in betrayal. "And you didn't get them for me? That hurts."

"That thunderbird bid on them—Doflamingo."

For a moment he was silent, grin returning as he shook his head. "Then I don't blame you. You birds and your bickering."

"It's not bickering yoi, it's—"

"Yeah, yeah," he interrupted, waving the blond off. Thatch never really cared about matters like that. Perhaps it was because he was too carefree, perhaps because a tiger didn't care for the hierarchy of winged beings, but he never bothered with it. "Did you at least get something for the old man?"

"Alcohol."

"Izo?"

"Combs."

"And yourself?"

He paused, pulling his mouth taut. "That's why I'm here yoi." His only response was a quizzical stare. Sometimes Marco wondered how, exactly, he managed to bond with a tiger. He remembered a time long ago when simply humouring the idea of getting along with a cat was ridiculous. When they were alone like that, isolated in Thatch's wing, he would be reminded of those dangerous claws, teeth sharp enough to rip through flesh. "I seem to have acquired some humans."

The redhead blinked, staring blankly before an enthusiastic gleam entered his eyes. "Need help?"

And whenever he would hesitate, the cat would say something to make his doubts disappear.

* * *

><p>Thatch asked him what seemed like hundreds of questions as they walked back towards the room where he had left the two human nestlings. Of course the fact that he knew none of the answers disappointed his friend, but there was nothing he could do about that. He didn't spend much time with his new pets, and honestly he hadn't been all that interested in finding out much about them. So he didn't know things like their height or weight. But he was able to answer that they did have clothes, even if they were rudimentary, and they were shoeless. Marco was proud that he'd noticed that at least. Still, he caught Thatch's almost silent huff of exasperation more than once during the walk and resolved to pay at least a little more attention. His brother was right; they were his responsibility now.<p>

"Is this the room?" Thatch asked, reaching the door the servant stood in front of.

"Yes."

"Great!" The cat ignored all decorum and ran the rest of the hall, sliding to a stop in front of the door and almost bowling over the servant so he could look through the window, a wide grin on his face as he craned his neck. Marco watched with a small grin of his own, walking at a much more sedated pace. Thatch's brows wrinkled and he pressed up against the glass, frowning before turning to him. "Marco, what humans? All I see is a busted-up chair."

He felt a flutter in the pit of his stomach that he refused to admit could be panic. The room was secure. There was no way they could have gotten out—they were hatchlings for gods' sake! Looking himself he saw what the tiger meant and cursed under his breath before unlocking the door and hurrying in, Thatch on his heels. Hearing a high-pitched shout behind him, it might not have been the smartest idea to enter the room with two feral human hatchlings loose in it. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of his two new pets charging him with the missing pieces of the chair, running as fast as they could. He was shocked, too shocked to move until Thatch shoved him from behind, saving him from getting hit in the stomach by the taller one. Then the tiger was between him and the two humans.

Thatch spun, somehow scooping up the shorter one and pinning it under his arm even as it screamed bloody murder, swinging the leg of a chair around like a club. The second little hell-beast he disarmed quickly, catching its wrists in his hand with a laugh as it bit him. "Feisty. Reminds me of when Zoro and Kuina were cubs."

"I _told_ you they bite."

"Well, what else do you expect him to do, Marco? His hands are trapped. Humans are very handsy," Thatch grouched, wiggling his arm slightly and getting the one who bit him to bare its teeth around his flesh. Well, far be it for Marco to question him; Thatch was the human-lover, after all. He couldn't see what the cat saw in those creatures, but it was times like those that he was thankful for his knowledge. "Just like I thought—cubs. Look, it's still got its milk-teeth."

"All humans have those dull-looking teeth," the phoenix lord pointed, though he was already aware they were human young.

"You bird-brain, look how small they are. Trust me on this: they're cubs. Man, you need to spend more time around younglings." Thatch sighed, letting his captives go. Both sprung back and eyed the tiger warily as he smiled at them. He said something, still smiling, and Marco had no clue what it was. After a beat, he said something else. And again. And again.

"What are you doing yoi?"

"Asking if they're hungry."

"I tried that."

Thatch just _looked_ at him. "I'm trying in human languages."

"How many stupid dialects are there?"

"Marco. Brother. Humans aren't like us. They can't travel like we can. So all sorts of places have different _languages_. As in two _humans_ might not understand each other. There're hundreds of _languages_ they could speak. And I only know a few dozen, alright? Don't even get me started on dialects."

"I still say they're speaking gibberish, yoi."

"Whatever, phoenix." He turned his attention back to the two little monsters. "_&*&^ Hungry?"_

_"Yes…?"_ the little one burbled before the bigger one shoved him further away from Thatch.

"_Luhfi! No, don't! It might eat you!"_

_"But Atche! What if it was gonna feed us? I'm starving!"_

"Gotcha." Thatch grinned, holding his hand out to Marco. "Give me the smallest loaf in my bag, 'kay?"

"You understood that yammering?"

"Honestly? Not really. They were talking too fast and I only sort of recognized one or two words. _But_ it's close to this other language I've come across once or twice. So…" He took the loaf and held it up so it was clearly visible. Even Marco had to admit it smelled fantastic. He glanced over at his new pets and saw them both swallow at the sight of the brown bread. Thatch spoke again. "_You hungry?" _The two shared a look before hesitantly nodding at the tiger. He smiled, ripped the loaf in half and held it out. When they reached out for it he pulled back slightly. "_Hungry, YES?_"

_"...Yes,_" the taller one replied. "_Gods, yes."_

"_Starving...Uh... I mean yes!"_

Whatever it was they'd said seemed to be the answer Thatch was looking for, though judging by the way his friend's hair was standing up on the back of his neck he wasn't _happy_ about the answer. He still handed over the bread without a fuss, and it was gone in seconds.

Marco stood quietly off to the side, leaning against the wall to observe his brother as the humans ate. Admittedly, the cat had them behaving a lot better than he did. He wasn't exactly very compassionate towards the little savages, though, so that may have been the problem.

The redhead laughed when the little one reached out with a splayed hand, staring expectantly. "Alright, alright," he conceded, "just a bit more. Marco."

He blinked before, again, retrieving a small loaf from the sack Thatch had brought with him and handing it over. It was a good thing he did; for the life of him, Marco could remember what they ate. Trust the human-lover to come to the rescue.

Thatch's smile softened into a more sympathetic look as he ripped it half twice, holding out a quarter for each. "You two want more? _Hungry?_"

Immediately the small child went to grab it but paused, looking to the other for permission. The tall one seemed hesitant at first but glanced between the mythos before nodding.

_"Go ahead, Lu. It… it should be okay."_

The younger smiled as he snatched it from the tiger's hands and shoved the whole thing in his mouth, immediately holding out his palm once more. Thatch refused that time, to his displeasure, and handed the elder the second quarter.

"And don't even think about giving it to the kid," Thatch commanded, fully aware that neither would understand. But when the boy went to do just that, he lightly slapped his hand away and shook his head. _"No. Bad."_

Marco quirked an eyebrow, arms folded across his chest as he watched. "They're still hungry yoi?"

"Yeah," the redhead answered with a sigh, "but I shouldn't give them any more. I don't think they were being fed; they might have trouble keeping it down."

He hummed in thought. Hancock was just as hateful of humans as he, though she was far more ruthless. The phoenix held pity, but the snake was far colder. He would have been surprised to learn that she _had_ taken care of them.

"Say, Marc," the cat began, voice dropping to a contemplative tone, "why'd you take them? You don't know anything about humans and you're not exactly… well, I _know_ you. I mean a pet, fine, but _humans_?"

He met his brother's eyes evenly before sighing, running a hand through his blond tuft of hair. "If I hadn't they would have become troll fodder or a carrion-lover's plaything yoi. I did what I felt was right at the time."

The redhead nodded. "Do you regret it?"

Blue eyes scrolled from the mythos to the mortal pair as the tall one snuck tiny bites to the smaller behind the tiger's back and he snorted, shaking his head. They'd been annoyingly loud throughout the day but, well, he couldn't blame them. For pets they were about what he expected, however…

"I don't know yoi."

They were young; he knew what they would grow into, had seen it first-hand. Knowing that, he couldn't _like_ them. But for now they were just hatchlings, weren't they?

After a long, drawn-out silence, Thatch motioned the humans to the mats in the corner. It wasn't long before their eyes drooped, their exhaustion catching up with them as they huddled together. The elder resisted sleep, fighting to stay awake, but it seemed like a fruitless effort.

"We're not going to eat you in your sleep, cub. It's okay."

He huddled closer to his kin, cuddling him as he drifted off, leaving Thatch to release a relieved breath before turning back to the blond. "What're you going to do? We gotta leave to see the old man tomorrow and you _know_ not everyone's going to be too thrilled about you bringing a pair of human cubs to the main compound."

Marco groaned. He was right; they would definitely be met with protest. But it wasn't like he could go back on his commitment. "I'm going to speak to Oyaji about it yoi. I'll leave them here until we can prepare a place for them."

"Leave them with who?" the cat questioned. "I'd be all for it, but I have to go, too."

"I was thinking a servant. That one Dalmatian recommended has experience with humans, yoi."

"You sure you can trust him? I mean, they're _humans_ so…"

He knew what he was implying, but…

"Do I have a choice yoi?"

"…Good point."

The pair moved over to the table across the room from the sleeping hatchlings, watching them carefully. "It should only be a few days, then we can bring them to the main house. I doubt too much damage could be done in such a short time-frame."

"And then?" Thatch pressed. "What'll you do after that?"

The phoenix lord released an airy breath, rubbing circles into his temple. "I don't know."

* * *

><p><em>"I'm leaving you in charge of them, yoi."<em>

"_You honour me, Sir! I will do my best to please you!_" Atche didn't trust the way the dog-eared man kept looking at him and Luhfi. Hugging his little brother closer, he shifted nearer to the redhead. True, he didn't trust him much either, but so far out of all the monsters they'd seen he'd rather take his chances with the blond and the redhead. They at least _looked_ like people.

"_Dalmatian said you had experience with humans?"_ The blond glanced down at him and Atche glared, knowing that they were talking about them. He hated not knowing what anyone was saying. The dog-eared man nodded his head eagerly. "_We should only be gone a few days, Ligi._ _Just keep them out of trouble, yoi."_

He caught a hand out of the corner of his eye reaching for him and he ducked, pulling Lu by the hand with him as he edged away from the redhead who just offered him a small smile. _"And feed them."_

"_I will do more than that, sirs! Why, when you get back, you shall come home to the most well-behaved slaves—"_

_"They're not slaves. They're pets."_

_"My humble apologies. The most well-behaved PETS. I guarantee it."_

The blond sighed, eyes cutting to where Atche stood watching them. "_Don't trouble yourself too much, yoi._" Then he knelt and held out his hand. Warily Atche inched closer, but not close enough for him to reach out and grab him. He still resented being carried like a sack of grain. "_Pet…"_ The blond looked up at the redhead.

"_Go on._"

"_They can't understand me, yoi."_

"_It doesn't matter, you still need to make the attempt. Take responsibility, Marco."_

"_Fine._" Blue eyes met gray, "_I'm leaving you for a few days. You'll be fine. Ligi will care for you. Be good._" As the blond stood and turned to leave in a swish of orange and red, Atche took an involuntary step forward. Something told him he did _not_ want him to leave. He glanced up at the dog-man and shivered. No, he definitely didn't want to be left with that monster.

Luhfi trotted after them and tugged on the flowing fabric of the pants the blond was wearing now instead of the incredibly detailed skirt from before. "Please, Lady… Don't go!"

_"Let go, yoi."_ A firm but gentle tug pulled the fabric from his brother's grasp and before either could do anything about it the door was shut in their face, leaving them in the room with the dog. Atche had never felt so betrayed in his life as he did in that moment when the dog looked at the two of them and _smiled_ before he left as well.

Atche wasted no time rushing to the door and trying the handle, but it was locked. He knew better than to try the windows; they were shuttered closed and they'd already tried them the day before anyway. Instead he focused his energy into pounding on the door as hard as he could, kicking the wood for good measure, even if it made his toes hurt a little. "HEY! LET US OUT! HEY! Are you there?! HEY! Come back! Please! Don't just LEAVE!" A glance over his shoulder showed him that Luhfi was sitting a bit behind him, staring at the door with a pout on his face. He banged harder. "At least feed us! Please…" _I'm scared, _"come back!"

The door swung open, surprising him, and he hurried to get out of the way, an almost hopeful smile on his face until he saw it was the dark-haired dog-man. His reddish eyes pinned the young boys in place as he shut and locked the door, closing them in with him. Atche took a shaky step backwards when the monster turned his whole attention towards him while reaching into his tunic.

He tried to dart around the dog-eared man and get to the door and his brother but the other was faster, stronger. The man growled as he pinned his smaller body down on the unforgiving tile and held it in place with a firm knee between his shoulder blades. "_Master Suzaku had said you were too noisy. I see he was right. Let's see you yap with this on._" A hand in his hair yanked his head off the floor and he felt something cold press against his neck as he continued to squirm. It was hard to breathe with that much weight pressing down on him; the edges of his vision were starting to get fuzzy. He kept kicking and thrashing, desperate to get out from under the dog-man and back over to his little brother. And then the weight was gone.

He shoved himself to his feet, lungs heaving as he fought to catch his breath again. But it was so hard, he felt so dizzy, like he still couldn't get enough air. "YO-yo—" he croaked. Atche's hands flew up to his throat. There was something _there_. It was hard and cold, and _hecouldn'tbreathe_—sinking back to his knees he glared up at the man who just jeered down at him.

"_Good slave. Now for the other one._" His blood ran cold when the monster turned towards his brother

Luhfi screeched, but there was nowhere to hide, and Atche couldn't let him hurt his baby brother. Gathering what strength he had he half-stumbled, half-lunged and managed to grab onto the dog-man's leg. "P-ple-se 'nt!"

"_Get the fuck off me, you filthy human!_" A foot lashed out as the man snarled, catching the boy in the stomach and sending him rolling. He couldn't breathe—he almost completely blacked out. Atche forced himself to stay awake, to listen as his brother was caught and _collared_ while he just lay there completely helpless and unable to catch his breath from one stupid blow. After what felt like hours of silence he saw padded feet in front of him. He blinked dully, still panting and trying to get enough air as he looked up at the sickly smiling face. The bastard had his little brother on a chain. "_Much better, don't you think, slave?_"

He let out a sound halfway between a growl and a whimper when the dark-haired monster reached down and did something to the tighten band around his neck. Atche desperately wanted to shout curses and scream at him, but he couldn't seem to get enough air into his lungs. It hurt, and it scared him—what's worse was the fact that his little brother had to suffer the same way. Feeling a tug at his throat he swore to himself that he would be strong for Luhfi, that no matter what this _monster_ did, he would not break. Because Lu was just as lost and confused, and he needed his big brother.

"_Up." _The tug became a yank and he was forced to scramble to his feet or be dragged after the dog-man as he left the room. He couldn't even reach out to his brother to comfort him; the man held their chains in different hands and they were too short to allow that. _"This room is too nice for the likes of humans like you. I've set up just the place."_ Red-brown eyes glared down at him. "_After you've earned a rest, of course._"

* * *

><p>Atche was completely and utterly lost. The monster had half-dragged, half-led them somewhere so fast it was all he and his brother could do to stay on their feet and try and keep up. Now they were <em>somewhere<em>, but he had no clue what it was supposed to be. It was sort of wide and open, but there were all these benches and tables around too. He found himself scrambling backwards when the dog-man turned around and reached for him, only to find himself yanked closer by the chain attached to his neck. Then he was shoved roughly away towards a table, the sudden freedom making him momentarily clumsy. Warily he watched the man release his brother in a similar manner and tensed, thinking immediately about escape. The thought fled just as quickly, though. With the collar so bruisingly tight around his throat there was no way he'd be able to run for long carrying Luhfi before he collapsed, and there was no telling what _this_ monster would do to him if he tried, but he didn't think it would be pretty.

"_What good slaves, waiting for your orders._" The creature sneered at them, dropping a full bucket and two brushes down on the table with enough force to make the younger of the two jump. _"Here's your first task. Scrub these tables spotless._" Luhfi inched closer to him, his small hand fisting in the hem of his worn-out shirt in an attempt to find comfort as both boys stared uncomprehendingly at the man before them. It was obvious enough he wanted something from them, but neither was sure what it was. After a long moment of the three staring at each other the dog-man let out a growling huff, "_Barbaric savages. I SAID: SCRUB. THESE. TABLES. SPOTLESS. UNDERSTAND?"_

Atche rolled his eyes. "Like being louder is going to make me suddenly understand what you want." Red-brown eyes narrowed dangerously and he held his hands up defensively. A brush was roughly shoved into his hand and his arm was nearly wrenched from its socket as the dog-man forced him to scrub hard in circles that were much too big for him before shoving him face first into the dirty suds on the table. Looking up at the monster watching them he swallowed. The message was clear: scrub the table or else. "Come on Lu… Just do what I do, alright?"

* * *

><p>It hadn't been that long since he left the main compound for their southern one, but stepping inside Marco was met with a rush of nostalgia nonetheless. Of all the places he'd stayed over the many centuries he'd lived, none felt more at home. It was his place of peace, as he was sure it would always be.<p>

With Thatch close behind, the phoenix trekked further onto the property until he came to a pair of towering doors. The height always impressed him even when fully aware that they housed a giant and he took a moment to admire them before heading within. Inside he was greeted by two sets of eyes, both unmistakable after so many years.

For the life of him, Marco couldn't remember how the old man got his nickname. It'd been a long time. Still, hearing the name Whitebeard always managed to calm his nerves, put him at ease. And he had to smile when he saw Izo standing at their father's side, waiting patiently for them with bottled excitement.

They made it halfway to Newgate's chair when the crossdresser rushed them, unable to contain himself any longer. He threw his arms around Marco's shoulders, giving him a tight squeeze. "It's about time you came home," he muttered into the bird's ear before pulling away, "I was beginning to think you forgot about us."

"It's only been a few weeks yoi," he pointed, but the smile on his lips only grew.

"A few weeks are all it takes." Gray eyes scrolled down to the bag hanging limply from clawed fingers, a mischievous glint arising as he yanked it from the blond's hands, the other all too willing to give it up. "So?" he questioned giddily as he rummaged through it, "What'd you get me?"

"Combs," the phoenix replied as a pale, slender hand immerged from the sac, holding the aforementioned objects in front of his younger brother's face.

Izo's expression lit up instantly as he looked them over, holding them up to the light to get a good look. "They're beautiful," he declared before moving in to give the elder another appreciative squeeze, "thank you."

With that the crossdresser turned for the first time to Thatch, face falling instantly into a scowl. The redhead couldn't so much as open his mouth before the other turned away, walking back to the old man's side without so much as a word. Marco blinked, a bit taken aback by that. Normally Thatch and Izo got along perfectly, aside from some pointless bickering now and then. Turning to the tiger for answers didn't seem to help, either, as he seemed just as confused, meeting his quizzical stare with a shrug.

Never one to dwell, Izo's actions were quickly forgotten as Marco stepped forward and presented Newgate with the alcohol he'd bid on the day before, the giant's calming laugh soothing to his ears.

"Thank you, my boy," Edward began, reaching out with a massive hand to give his son an appreciative pat on the head. "I trust you enjoyed yourself."

"Of course yoi," he readily provided. It wasn't a _complete _lie; his mood only turned sour when that damned Doflamingo got involved. And as much as he'd fretted over the humans in the beginning, Thatch's calming reassurance had alleviated most of his negativity. Perhaps his recklessness wasn't as much of a mistake as he thought.

"And? What else have you acquired?" the giant pressed as he looked the bottle over in the light, its size far too small to quench the thirst of someone of his tribe.

"Anything interesting?" Izo pressed.

Thatch chuckled from beside him, earning narrowed eyes. "Oh yeah, definitely interesting."

"I didn't ask you, _cat_," Izo replied, glaring once more at the feline before smiling at the blond. "What is it? Can I see?"

Pressing two fingers to his temple, the phoenix sighed. He'd hoped to ease them into it but Thatch, as talkative as ever, had forced him to speed up the conversation. He took a seat nearby, directly facing the old man. "I seem to have acquired some human nestlings yoi."

Everyone went silent.

"…Human?" Izo echoed, smile fading.

He nodded, "Human."

"…And they're just kids?"

"Yes."

"How many?"

"Two."

"…_Human_?"

"_Yes_ yoi."

"_You_ though? _You're_ taking care of some humans?"

His patience was running thin. Thatch had already questioned him about that. Repeatedly. But then his father laughed and he relaxed, his nerves put to rest once more.

"And you wish to bring them here, my son?" Marco nodded. "It won't be easy."

Suddenly Izo seemed to snap back to his senses and he jolted. "That's right; everyone's going to have a fit. I mean _I_ don't care—kids are kids—but the family and the waiting staff…"

Thatch stepped forward. "I'll help him," he chimed with a grin, "so it'll be fine."

The youngest shot him a look, shutting him up immediately. "Don't you start; your confidence lacks backing. Marco, don't rely on that one, he's an idiot."

The old man smiled, preventing the tiger from coming up with some sort of retort, and the three looked his way. "You'll have to convince them, Marco."

"I know, Oyaji."

"It won't be easy."

"…I know."

Thatch curled an arm around the blond's shoulders, pulling him close. "Give us three days, tops."

Izo snorted. "Bullshit. You're not that charming, Byakko."

"And you should stay out of this, Genbu."

The crossdresser rolled his eyes, ignoring the comment as he turned to Marco. "Trust me, it'll be at least a week. You have a _lot_ of people you need to convince if you wanna let those kids live here."

The phoenix slouched back, feeling the warning signs of a headache emerge as he took that in. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but what choice did he have? "I know."

* * *

><p>"I'm not afraid. I'm <em>not<em> afraid," Atche whispered to himself as he furiously scrubbed the tears that continued to fall. He couldn't afford to cry. Luhfi might wake up and hear him, not that he had to worry about his brother _seeing_ him. The room that _bastard_ tossed them into whenever he was done with them was completely dark—dark, tiny, cold, quiet, and smelly. That could have had something to do with the bucket they were expected to relieve themselves in. In a way it was a good thing the dog-monster had only fed them… once—no, wait, twice. He'd fed them the time before last. It made less waste.

He felt his little brother shiver and wrapped the burlap they'd been given around them a little tighter. Lu had fallen asleep almost immediately after being tossed into the cell—that was the only word for it—exhaustion winning the war against hunger and pain easily. That had left his older brother to worry over him in the dark as he felt along fragile limbs for any breaks and locating by feel all the new bruises on his brother. He didn't bother checking himself; he could _feel _the damage. Every whip of the cane, every punch or kick he took, though, was one his brother didn't have to.

Sometimes it was easy to tell _why_ they were being punished. They needed to work faster (as if they could, as starved and small as they were). They didn't do something right (Atche had never done laundry before. The monster took exception to the suds. _Extreme _exception). They tried to take a break. They broke something. Other times, Atche had no clue _why_, and those times scared the hell out of him, because the dog-man was brutal. Those times, he didn't use the cane; he rained down blows with his fists, spitting horrible words at them that the boys didn't have to understand to _know_ were bad.

"_NOT_ afraid…." He bit his lip against a whimper that made a liar out of him, glad for once that Luhfi was a heavy sleeper. The truth was, he was _terrified_ of the door opening, but he was just as scared of it _not_ opening. Sometimes he'd think they'd have only been in the little cell-like room for a few minutes in the morning to be dragged out into the middle of the night. Other times it would feel like _days_ had passed since the door had budged, and yet when they'd finally be let out, it would definitely have only been an hour or so, signs from their last task still visible. He felt like he was going insane.

"Ache?" Luhfi muttered, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He scrubbed his eyes again, even though he knew his brother couldn't see him. Sighing, he settled more firmly against the cold floor, his back to the wall to keep Lu a little warmer. He _was_ afraid—but there was nothing he could do about it but deal with it the best he could, because that's what big brothers did. Luhfi didn't need to know how badly scared he was. It was best to just try and get some sleep while he could, because there was no telling when the monster would come back and their hell would start again. "Go back to sleep, Lu. It'll be alright."

* * *

><p>Seven days. Seven days of fighting with the household, with both family and staff as he and Thatch slowly won their favour. He knew it wouldn't be easy, that getting them to agree to allow a pair of humans into the compound would be like pulling teeth—he was just barely able to accept it himself, after all—but to go one for one <em>full week<em> had been more than just trying. Were he as passionate as the tiger he might not have kept his sanity. How did Thatch do it? How did he keep his composure through all the snarling and bickering and prejudice? And to be honest, Marco had found himself doing the same as those cretins many times before. He wasn't innocent.

Finally they'd overturned the household's opinions—partially, at least. They still weren't thrilled about the idea and made that _very _clear but, well, they'd been worn down enough to allow the humans inside, at least. And Thatch assured he'd help Marco with whatever he needed, so that was a plus. Most of the knowledge he had on the species had withered with the ages. When was the last time he allowed a human to get so close?

Wings of fire glided along the wind, leaving streaks of bright blue in his wake as he flew through the skies towards the southern compound. It'd taken a good hour but he could finally see the rooftops peeking from between the clouds and he dove lower in preparation to land. Thatch was coming via carriage; he would arrive soon after. Marco's first task was to relieve Ligi of the humans; what was intended to be only three days became seven and he was sure the dog had lost his patience with the younglings. He couldn't really blame him, seeing how they'd tested his patience after only one day.

As he descended over the garden his sight caught on minute movement in one of the trees. He spotted a messy head of black hair moments before the branch the boy was crawling on snapped. Instantly he swooped low, catching the boy's shirt between his talons before lowering him gently to the ground. The elder human rushed to them before eyes caught on the bird and he froze in place, eyes wide with shock and fear.

Was he that intimidating?

The little one flopped over to stare up at him from the ground, meeting him not with his usual smile but with fright as he pushed himself back, scrambling towards his kin as fast as his weak legs could carry him.

…Weak?

Not dwelling on their reactions he began to morph, returning to the form they recognised and watching as realisation took over. They huddled together with big, shocked eyes staring his way, almost uncomfortably so, muttering nonsense. Not their human language—no, these weren't words—but soft sounds, frighten whimpers hushed under their breath, sounds of fear reminiscent of a cornered animal in the wild.

He narrowed his eyes. "You're quiet yoi." As much as the noise drove him mad when he last saw them, this sudden obedience was unsettling. It didn't feel right. What's worse was that they weren't even _speaking_ when they mumbled, not even the gibberish he heard before.

Suddenly the servant, Ligi, rounded the corner into the garden, stiffening as he looked between the phoenix, the broken branch and the boys. He gaped when things seemed to click in his head, hurrying over to them with long, hasty strides. Marco noticed the way the humans shrunk back when he neared. Something was _very_ wrong.

"My lord!" the dog exclaimed, pushing the boys aside to stand directly in front of the blond, "I am deeply sorry! I only stepped away for a second, I—"

"Why was my pet in the tree yoi?" His voice was even, not allowing for excuses.

Ligi blinked, a bit taken aback by the accusative tone that was used before he recovered well enough to answer. "I couldn't say, when I left—"

"He was reaching for a fruit," Marco pointed, eyes turning sharp as he looked the servant over. Something was definitely off. He noted the way the gwyligi hesitated at that, mind arriving at the same conclusion his did. "You know what would have happened if he ate it yoi. I'm beginning to question your capabilities as a servant to this family." The fruit from the trees in the garden were deadly, to only be consumed when permission from its owner was granted—the owners in that case being the family Ligi served under.

"I was careless, Master Marco. Please do accept my apologies," he requested with a bow, never breaking as he returned upright to glare at the human boys. He latched onto the tiny one's arm, pulling him near as he glared. Immediately the elder reached out, making those same quiet noises as he tried to free his kin from the dog's grasp. "_Listen_ human: I will not—"

"Don't _touch _him," Marco commanded, his voice unyielding as the mythos turned surprised eyes his way. Despite his shock the servant listened, unhanding the tiny one and allowing him to be shielded protectively by the other's arms. The blond's eyes softened as he looked at them, suddenly regretting that he'd left them with such a reckless servant. He'd have to have a talk with Dalmatian about the staff he'd recommended.

Not allowing another word to pass, he spun around in a flurry of fiery reds and oranges as his robes swayed, reaching up to pick a fruit from the tree. The fruit's colour brightened ever so slightly, perhaps unnoticeable to a mortal, assuring that it was safe to eat. He then looked back at the boys, watching with sympathy as they cowered, and took a few steps closer. The elder murmured lightly, voice cracking as he inched away, but the bird paid no mind as he crouched down and held out the fruit for the little one to take.

The human looked between the offering and the phoenix, his mouth watering even as he held tighter to his kin, never once reaching out for it.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it? You can take it; it's safe now."

They still didn't move. Somehow he doubted it was because they didn't understand. Perhaps it was their trembling that tipped him off, or the way they flinched whenever he made to move, or—

His body went cold as he noticed the metal rings around their throats, the chains hanging limply against their torsos and the discoloured flesh peaking from underneath.

"Ligi," he called dangerously, never once looking up from what he'd seen.

"…Yes, my lord?"

"Leave_. Now._"

"Y-yes, my lord." Immediately the servant bowed and turned-tail, vanishing from his periphery within seconds.

Marco took a deep, shivering breath as he dropped the fruit carelessly to the ground, reaching out towards the marred necks of his humans. The elder wasted no time in lifting the nestling into his arms and backing away, as though the bird's touch would be just as harmful as those rings around their throats. They weren't like that before. They were scared, but not like that—_never_ like that.

Swallowing, the blond lowered his hand. "It's okay," he assured, "I won't… I'm not like him yoi. Whatever happened… it's over now, alright?"

When the elder turned to run he grasped his shoulder, watching as the human winced and writhed, barely able to keep himself standing through the pain. His stomach turned at the implication but he took that chance to scoop them both up, ignoring it as they thrashed in his arms. He needed a room—somewhere empty, somewhere _safe_.

The building overlooking the garden was empty. He let them down in one of the rooms and they scrambled away, _terrified_ of him, and he bit his lip. Thatch would arrive soon; it was only a matter of time. When he did they could figure out what had happened, but for the time his only goal was to get them to calm down. The last thing he wanted was for them to be scared.

* * *

><p>"Shhhh, it's alright little ones," Thatch hummed, doing his best to appear as harmless as possible even though he could tell it wasn't going to work. Both of the human cubs huddled as far away from them as they could get, eyes wide and pupils dilated as they watched every move either man made. If it were possible, he'd have sworn the taller one would have melted into the wall when Marco took one step forward.<p>

Marco sighed, crouching low. Both cubs shivered and their heart-rates picked up. "This isn't working yoi."

"No, it's not," he admitted. They'd been at it for a while now, and all they'd managed was scaring the poor things more. He felt horrible about it; the room reeked of fear. Whatever Ligi had done while they'd been away had crushed—no, _destroyed_—the fragile trust he and Marco had managed to build in a day. That was just the start of it, too. Under the fear scent he could smell blood, and both were thin, m_uch_ thinner than they had been when the two of them had left. There was going to be a reckoning... but first they had to find a way to examine the extent of the damage without scaring the cubs to death. _Something will happen if we use force, I'm sure. If only they were asleep we cou—_

"That's it!"

"What's it?'

Thatch shook his head, not wanting to waste time explaining, "Just stand here and try not to look too intimidating. Do NOT get close to them, alright? I'll be right back! I promise!" He ran to the medical room, knowing that the mythos in charge would have what he needed. She was a Sekhemt, after all—pretty little thing, too, if you had a thing for lions.

"Master Thatch!" she greeted, moving aside quickly as he barreled past her and made a beeline for the cabinet she kept her supplies in. "What—how can I help you?"

"Poppy syrup. Where is it?"

"I keep it locked up. You know it can be dangerous, my lord. How long have you been having trouble sleeping?"

He huffed impatiently as she went to measure out a dose. "It's not for me."

"Oh? Master Marco, then?"

"No. His humans."

Her expression changed, feline ears pinning back as her lip rose in a half-snarl. "Oh. _Them_. I'm sorry, my lord, but I do not have anything to give _humans_."

Thatch was on her in a flash, fur rippling across his hands as he twisted the arm holding the dosing vial roughly. "Do you mean to tell me that you _knew_ about what was going on?" She wouldn't meet his gaze but looked away, still snarling in defiance. He roared in her face, "AND YOU DID_ NOTHING?!_"

"I saw nothing wrong. They are humans; unless they are brought to heel _now_ and learn their place they are a danger to us all."

"They're cubs, woman! CUBS! Good gods, no wonder the humans think we're monsters! Where's the so-called compassion your clan prides itself on?" At that she flinched slightly and he let her go.

"Ligi said he was just training them."

"So you and everyone else turned a blind eye, and now two little human cubs… Just... give me the damn poppy syrup, woman." He was so mad he couldn't even look at her as he took the vial. "Next time… remember that they belong to _Marco_, and they're under _my_ protection as well. Because if something like this _ever_ happens again…" He turned and stormed out, trying to think calming thoughts before he killed the healer. He needed to be calm before he returned to the room. He also needed bread for his plan to work.

"Master Thatch—" she called out after him, "what about this time?"

Turning, he glared at her, eyes flashing dangerously, "You _all_ better pray they survive Ligi's _training_."

It took him a bit longer to cool down than he'd hoped, leaving him standing outside the door he and Marco had corralled the humans in, taking deep breaths. It wouldn't do to go in there tense with how high-strung the cubs were; they'd know in a heartbeat something was up and that would be a disaster. So instead he carefully soaked the two loafs of bread with the poppy syrup. The bread had been slightly stale and soaked up the liquid readily. Now the only worry was how much they'd eat—not that he didn't have enough to re-dose them if he needed to, but he was worried about them getting too much. Hopefully they'd pass out before that. He eyed the bread, "Just going to have to risk it, I guess."

Marco barely looked up when he opened the door, though both humans jumped almost a foot. "You took long enough yoi."

"Sorry. Had to calm down." He waved off the raised eyebrow. "I'll explain later. For now, follow my lead, alright?"

"Alright." Marco sat next to him on the floor, turning to keep the cubs in their periphery. "What is this?" He sniffed the bread.

"Poppy syrup soaked bread. Just pretend to eat it and keep talking."

"If you say so." He loved Marco. Only Marco ever went along with his plans. The two of them sat for a few moments in silence pretending to eat the bread. "I feel stupid."

"We look stupid, too." The cubs were watching them intently, still afraid but not quite as bad.

Finally Marco deflated, mental exhaustion showing through the drooping of his eyes. "…What am I going to do, Thatch?"

It was now or never. Slowly he stood and walked away from the food and Marco followed, keeping the humans just barely in their line of sight as they put more distance between them. "What do you _want _to do?"

"I was thinking of sending them back to the human realms." Marco went to glance at them and he shook his head.

"Don't look directly at them; you'll spook them." They'd finally reached the food and frozen in place, watching the two men.

"Sorry. Why can't we leave the room?"

"Because I want to make sure they don't drop dead, alright? That's a lot of poppy for the little guys, and I wanna be safe."

"Oh."

Thatch sighed in relief when the taller cub reached out and snatched a piece of abandoned bread. He took a large bite out of it before passing the rest over to his brother. It couldn't have tasted good if the look on his face was anything to go by, but it didn't seem to matter. His heart went out to them. "You _could_ return them."

"But?"

"What do you mean, but?" Brown eyes met blue and he remembered why he hated the bird sometimes. No one could _read_ him like Marco.

"There's something you don't like about that plan yoi. What is it?" There was no arguing with the man when he got like that.

"Fine. You do that and they'll be dead in a week, Marco." The phoenix looked at him, stunned. "I didn't want to tell you because I _know _how you are about humans. But that's the cold, hard truth. We don't know where in the human realms they came from. So our only option is to just dump them somewhere and hope for the best. Except they're not going to be able to communicate, _and_ they're younglings."

"Won't the other humans protect them?" The smaller cub let out a big yawn, dropping the piece of bread he'd been trying to gnaw on, his eyes closing.

He gave a mirthless laugh. "Do you know what some mythos do for fun, brother? They pretend to be human young—and then they_ eat_ the actual human younglings." He shook his head. "So no. Two human cubs, unable to talk to anyone? They'd suspect they were our young and kill them. Or even if they thought for a second they were human, they'd kill them anyway for being spies. Marco, even if it wasn't deliberate, those two are in no shape to protect themselves. And this is assuming they'd even _want_ to go near humans."

"They're terrified of us yoi," Marco pointed out as they both tried to ignore the hushed sounds of the taller cub trying to rouse the other. He sounded distressed, but they both knew it was for the best.

"You bought them off a naga whose troll found them chained up on a _human_ ship.

"..." Marco sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Then what do I do?"

Thatch watched as the taller cub swayed a moment on his knees before collapsing half on the other one. He gave a feeble half-moan and shook his head before laying still and the tiger was glad that part was over. Except the hard part would begin. He met Marco's eyes, "Tell me then: do you want to give them up because _you_ can't handle them, or is it something else?"

"I don't know what I'm doing! They're human!" Marco snapped back, turning towards the still forms. Despite the venom in his voice he was still gentle as he reached out and lifted one off the other. "…I don't want to make them suffer, though."

"You could just kill them now," he pointed out, hating himself for it. "They're sleeping—make it fast and they'll never know what happened. Some would say it would be a mercy after what happened."

The phoenix lord was silent. Whether he was actually considering it or thinking of the past was something Thatch couldn't say for sure. "No, it wouldn't be a mercy, would it?" He didn't think his friend was asking him. "Thatch, I want to do right by them."

"It'll be a lot of work," the tiger pointed out, grinning. Marco just nodded silently.

He didn't bother to watch to see how Marco was doing, instead focusing all of his attention on the task at hand. The collar was the most obvious thing wrong at first glance. At least until he slowly tore off the tattered remains of the poor cub's shirt. There was a large, yellowing bruise just below his ribs that was painful to look at, not to mention the numerous other marks that littered his torso and lower arms. Still, Thatch was relieved; it wasn't half as bad as he had feared. Gently he shifted the boy into a sitting position to get a look at his back. It was a good idea to be thorough.

The cub let out a moan, stirring slightly in his arms and he muttered a curse, pulling the vial out of his pocket and gently holding it to the limp form. It took some maneuvering, but Thatch managed to tilt some of the syrup into the mouth without spilling it all or suffocating the poor thing. Gently he ran a knuckle under the chin, noticing the scrapes and purple marks where someone had grabbed at the youngling more than once until he felt the boy swallow. Still he waited, counting the seconds as his eyes flitted over to Marco. His friend had not even divested the smaller one of his shirt and was going over his arms with overly controlled movements. He'd have to find a way to get Marco out of the room; his temper was fraying to the breaking point and he didn't think the man could handle what he feared he might find. His normally sleepy eyes had a slightly glazed look and he was breathing rapidly, as close to panting as a bird could get. It was a very bad sign.

"Marco, buddy, can you hear me?" Slowly his friend tracked up to him. "That's good. I need you to calm down, brother. Can you do that?" No answer. "You said you wanted to make it up to them, right? Look—I can fix this," _probably,_ "but not if you freak out on me. Not in here."

The other shook his head, "Can't."

"I know. Listen, I _know_ it's tough on you. So I got this. Okay? I got this here. So you can leave—" If his friend had been in his other form he would have been hissing and clanking his beak at him. _Obviously _Thatch should have worded that better. Quickly he continued before the man he considered family ripped him to pieces, "What I meant was you can go find a better room for their recovery, right?"

The phoenix paused, looking down at the two human cubs with his brow furrowed. "Recovery?"

"Yes. Because this room is too…" _don't say cage-like, don't say trapped, _"small. We want to give them space. And light." He patted himself on the back. "Not to mention it reeks of fear and sick in here. Can't have that, right?"

"...Right." Marco slowly nodded. "Need a good nest. A safe nest."

"Yes! Exactly! This isn't safe enough."

His friend shook himself slightly. "I can do that. You sure you can handle things yoi?"

"Yes." Thatch hoped he wasn't lying; he'd yet to see their backs yet.

Marco stood and in carefully-precise movements laid the smaller cub against Thatch's side. "I'm going to go have a _talk_ with Ligi as soon as we get them settled."

"_We'll_ do that—after we handle things here." He offered his own feral grin, earning a stiff nod. He felt no pity for the servant—not after seeing the collars.

Shoulders deflating slightly, relaxing, Marco left the room, glancing back only once before bringing the door to a gentle close behind him.

"Easy now, little cub," Thatch muttered, shifting the human like he was made of glass in order to get a look at his back. When he saw the strike marks along the ribs he hissed. They were obviously made by something thin and round, probably a cane. More than a few had split the skin as well, leaving scabs along the bony spine and ribcage that were red and inflamed. "No wonder you hurt, huh? Let's get a look at the rest of you." He gently leaned the boy forward against his arm and leg to get a better look at his lower back. Thatch froze, swallowing convulsively at the sight of flesh so bruised it looked black. It started just below the shoulder blades and continued as far down as he could see.

Worriedly he turned to the younger cub, knowing in his gut that if his back was as badly damaged there was no way he would survive. Not with the internal damage that was sure to go along with it at his small size. So it was a great relief to see that the youngling's back, while still a patchwork of blues, purples and yellows, was not one massive bruise. It still looked horrifyingly painful and brutal on a body so tiny all the same.

"Master Byakko?" His head snapped up and he didn't bother to stop the feral snarl that tore its way out of his throat as he hunched over his charges. The healer was standing in the doorway, a bundle held in her arms. "I-I thought you might be in need of assistance?"

"GET OUT!"

"But—y-your humans… I brought bandages. A-and a change of clothes for them? If it pleases you, that is?"

His temper flared, thinking of the blackened marks on the cubs… "Do you _see_ what that man has done?" he challenged her, "What you _allowed_ to be done to your _master's property_?"

For the first time the woman looked down to the still forms cradled protectively in his arms and he had to force himself to shift so she could see the extent of the damage. Her gasp was not half as satisfying as he had hoped. "But I—"

"Say one more word." She silenced herself. "You may leave the items here. Unless _Master_ _Suzaku or myself _requests otherwise, under no circumstances are you or any other servant allowed within the same _wing_ as his pets until further notice. _Do I make myself clear?_"

"Yes, Master Byakko," she whispered, gently laying the supplies as close to him as she dared. He could see the tears in her eyes but didn't know if they were for the cubs or for herself. He found he didn't care, either. It was too little, too late. "I... if there's anything I can do…. ask for Leigh. I promise, I won't let you down, Sir. _Anything_."

"I'll hold you to that. Now get out," he half-growled, turning his attention back to the task at hand. He wanted to bandage their wounds, but he wasn't about to do it with her in the room. The moment the door clicked shut he sighed, glowering at his hands. She'd gotten him so worked up his claws had grown. There was no way he'd be able to safely treat their injuries until he calmed himself.

"…But I might be able to pull the pins out of their collars." He grinned.

It was easier than he'd expected, actually. The collars were cheap, which in this case was a good thing, except it meant that they were heavy, much too heavy for those thin necks. He'd already suspected that they'd been too tight, but the way the small one's collar had almost flown off when he'd pulled the pin free made him sick. The taller cub had been no better off, either. It was no wonder they'd been nearly silent; getting the air to be even half as loud as he remembered them being would have been completely impossible. Gently rubbing the salve left with the bandages along the quickly-swelling flesh, he felt his gorge rise. He'd fed them drugged bread… and they could barely swallow with those things on. He could have killed them. It was a somber thought, and he was doubly glad Marco wasn't in the room. "Speaking of the feather-head, I'm sure he's had enough time to find the perfect room by now. Better get you two all wrapped up and changed before he comes back, huh?" he muttered to the still humans, gently petting their matted hair. "Don't worry; we'll take care of you."

* * *

><p>Marco was very well-aware of why Thatch made him leave the room. He was thankful for it even as his mind supplied all sorts of horrors. Horrors he didn't know whether or not were true because he couldn't have stayed in that room a moment longer. Then again, he didn't need to see the damage, not when there was a certain dog running around who had all the answers. Eyes narrowing at the thought, he turned in mid-stride for the servant's quarters. It was the most likely place to start his hunt, and he doubted Thatch would mind or even notice a slight delay. He must have looked truly terrifying; servants ducked and scuttled out of his way, refusing to meet his eyes as he stormed the halls. "You there."<p>

"Me?" a young servant stuttered at him, shocked to be addressed as he had attempted to duck past without being spotted.

"Where did Ligi keep my pets?"

"I-I'm afraid I—" wildly the man looked around for someone else, but everyone had wisely cleared out. Marco had never felt so disgusted with his staff before.

Blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't _lie_ to me." It was obvious that the servant knew. They probably _all_ had known. "Where?"

"I-in the south hall! The old wine closet. Please don't kill me, Sir!"

It was tempting to do just that. Instead he broke all protocol and lifted the man by the front of his tunic. "Find Ligi. Tell him to meet me there." Wordlessly the servant nodded and he dropped him. "Go." Immediately he did just that.

The wine closet. That bastard had thrown his pets into the _wine closet._

Reaching the south hall should have taken a while, but Marco made it in record time. That left him standing there waiting for Ligi in front of a locked door. The key to the room was supposed to be kept on a hook right above the door but it was noticeably missing, suggesting the dog carried it on him. The phoenix lord didn't bother to calm himself as he waited, instead letting his anger grow as he leaned against the wall. Before long he heard the sounds of someone hurling down the hall towards him and he didn't bother to look up.

"My lord! I did not expect to see you again so soon after your long trip!" Ligi wrung his hands together, "Are your sl-pets giving you trouble? I did what I could with the little savages, but-"

"Open it."

"Excuse me, Sir?" Reddish eyes blinked at him, surprised at being cut off.

"I heard you were keeping my pets in there."

"I was. Were you thinking of doi—"

"Open it now."

"Yes, of course, Master Suzaku!" The door was heavy, but not overly so by mythos standards. Just enough to keep the small room it hid chillingly cold with its marble floors and walls. To a human though, a young one especially, it would have seemed impossible to move. It also would have blocked out all sound and light to the small, dank room. He remembered suddenly why they'd stopped using this closet—the marble wept—as his eyes fell on the torn-up burlap sack by the door. One of its corners was wet. Wrinkling his nose he smelled waste, and his eyes quickly landed on the only other thing in the small room: a bucket. "As you can see, they were very secure in here."

His talons scraped against the tiled floor as he stepped towards the dog. "What gave you the _right_?"

"I don't understand, Sir." Ligi blinked up at him, "I was training them for you, just like I said I would. Are you not pleased with the results? They are much quieter now. Though I'm afraid they are a bit weak and stupid. Still, they're coming along nicely for humans."

"You-you _broke_ them!" he shouted back, voicing his fear. "They're terrified!"

"Good. They _should_ be terrified of mythos, of you. Humans know nothing of respect, of honor. The only way to control them is through fear."

"So you took _my pets_ and abused them?" Marco's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You deprived them of their freedom, of food, and _beat_ them? Who gave you permission to _touch_ them in such a way?"

The dog swallowed, taking a step back. "I was training them!" he repeated, "You were only supposed to be gone for a few days!" Marco closed his eyes, feeling sick. He could easily imagine what had happened. It was still no excuse, but it made him just as culpable. They should have taken the human hatchlings with them and damned the consequences.

"This isn't over, Ligi," he spat out. "Do you understand me? Not only did you damage what was mine, you disobeyed me and starved them. I will be dealing with you later."

"Yes, Sir." Ligi boldly met his eyes, "I understand you're upset. But if I may say, Sir? It's some of my best work. I've never been given human pups before. They take to training much better than adults."

He didn't even bother to answer the man as he turned. Marco had promised Thatch he'd find their hatchlings a nice, safe room to nest in, and he was going to do that. As far away from the south hall and the room it held as he could get.

* * *

><p>The phoenix looked over the humans with soft, sad eyes. Earlier he and his brother had fashioned a nest of sorts with as many pillows and blankets as they could locate in the west wing, neither sure of how the boys would prefer to sleep. Currently the cushioning surrounded them as they lay on a soft, flat mat, a light blanket thinly veiling their waists, leaving the bruises and marks visible wherever their new clothes didn't cover.<p>

His eyes settled on their bruised necks. That mutt had dared to _collar them_. As though the beatings weren't enough, as though starvation was too much of a kindness, he'd gone so far as to take away their dignity—their _freedom_. It made his stomach turn.

Marco looked between the younglings, awkwardly taking a few steps forward before lowering himself at the mat's edge. Clawed fingers lightly brushed the bangs from the elder's eyes, revealing yellowish bruises on the visible temple. Out of the two he seemed the most hurt, though that was only a guess; Thatch refused to let him see beneath the human's clothes, so he couldn't be sure. Being alone with them like that he was tempted to lift the shirt and see for himself but thought better of it. Even without seeing he'd almost snapped earlier; what would he do if he knew the extent of the damage that _swine_ had done?

As he sat there, watching their tiny chests move up and down, he thought back to the previous week, words from a tiger's mouth that he was starting to fully grasp: _"You still need to make the attempt. Take responsibility."_

"Pet…" He swallowed, mouth dry and nausea rising from the pit of his stomach as he looked over their battered, broken forms. They were so small, so tiny, and as helpless as they were they looked even more so. Humans were frail. Humans were weak. So easy to break… "I'm so sorry yoi—so, _so_ sorry."

The little one coughed, the only sound to break the silence as he waited for a never-to-come reply. He wished they could understand—or that _he_ could understand. He wished that he could apologise properly, listen to their frustrations. And even more than that, he wished they could tell him just _what_ Ligi had done. They could only guess by their injuries and the way they acted, but he wanted to _know._

"…Was it scary yoi? Were you confused? We left you alone with that… that—" He cut himself off, breath hitching before he sighed and cupped his forehead. "…Of course you were scared. Of course you were confused. Why am I…?"

The taller one stirred, falling from his side to lie on his back. He let out a small whimper, probably landing on whatever injuries Thatch hadn't wanted him to see. But their wounds, no matter how severe, would heal with time. The marks may leave scars, they many never completely go away, but they wouldn't hurt. That wasn't what worried the blond. What scared him were the marks around their necks, the way they acted when he returned. Such vocal little creatures when he left, yet even when they saw his other form—even when faced with the terror evident in their eyes as they set their sights on what he really was—they hadn't uttered so much as a word. They _didn't speak._ And that _terrified_ him.

_Has he broken you?_

Thatch said they couldn't live amongst humans. The humans would kill them; they couldn't return. And if they weren't scared of mythos before, they were now. After what had been done, would they ever be the same? Could they heal? Or was it too late? Living their lives every day, never letting go of the past, unable to move forward… was that really living?

The bird adjusted their blankets, having been kicked off during a restless tussle moments before. He never thought he would one day care for human young and maybe that was for the best; he'd certain done a horrible job of it.

"What is it you boys want, hm? Can you be happy? Can… can you smile again?" He remembered that first day, the only he spent with them, and the bright smile that crossed the little one's lips whenever their eyes met. Knowing he might never see it again, he regretted not paying closer attention. If he had known…

_"You could just kill them now."_

He could. When Thatch suggested it he'd refused but the more he thought, the more his resolve began to crumble. Was it selfish to force them to live or was it just? They'd been collared—_humiliated_—and abused in ways he _hated_ to admit that he understood. It was just one week. Seven days of fighting with the mythos at the main compound. Seven days of sensory deprivation. Seven days of beatings. And yet in just seven days they'd been shattered. They'd been broken. And Marco couldn't help but wonder if he would be able to continue on in their situation. If they hadn't returned then, if it continued for longer, what damage would have been done? How much worse could it get if continued for months—_years_?

_"Some would say it would be a mercy after what happened."_

Would it? Before he could think of an answer he found his fingers intertwined around the elder's neck, pressing lightly against the bruising. He rubbed his thumbs along the damaged skin, feeling his heart sink as he felt the swollen raise of where the collar had been. All it would take was a sudden jerk to snap the boy's neck, end his suffering, and he would never have to know. He wouldn't even feel it—a quick, painless death. Mythos weren't benevolent beings. He'd ended a life before. But he was so _young_, so small. Fragile, like glass.

"Hey," he whispered lightly, hesitantly as he held his hands around the boy's throat, "what… are your names?"

The human moved again, back onto his side, his arm falling across the younger's shoulders. He pulled the small one close, mumbling some incoherent words and Marco's lip quivered. His hands fell limp at his sides, any former motivation washing away with that one tiny, insignificant movement. He couldn't. Not when it was his fault—not when he didn't even know what to call them.

Releasing a shivering breath to steady his nerves, he reached out to adjust the blanket once more as it'd been knocked out of place by the last movement, noting the elder boy's heavily bandaged chest. The bird wondered, perhaps, if he was worse off because he was protecting the little one, taking his beatings. Something like that… it wouldn't be easy to do. They must have loved each other a lot, huh? It seemed even humans were capable of acts of selflessness. And he was about to end it all, just like that…

His eyes widened when the smaller boy's hand wrapped around his and he froze in place, completely immobilised by the feeling of warm flesh pressed against his own. Eventually he recomposed, being as careful as he could as he pulled his hand away, leaning back against the wall. His eyes scrolled to the bottom of his robe where his feet poked through the fabric's hem, the most obvious sign that he was a mythos bleeding through that form. All high-ranking creatures shared it, to some degree, and humans looked similar to them when they were like that. The blond felt a sudden rush of self-consciousness as his mind flashed to earlier in the day, how the boys reacted to seeing his other form, and he hurried to pull the fabric over his feet. Maybe it would be best to cover them around the humans. He didn't want to scare them.

Sighing, he glanced from the nestlings to the window and up at the pale moon, going over the day's events. He was going to have to have another long _talk _with Ligi come morning. "I promise," he started, knowing that even if they understood the language they wouldn't hear him while in such a deep slumber, "you won't have to worry about that _mutt_ ever again yoi."

He meant every word.

* * *

><p><strong>Bochica- A giant from South America that aided the people of Chibcha and Muyscaya of Colombia. It's said that Bochica supported the sky so it wouldn't fall on humans, and that earthquakes are caused by Bochica when he's bored and wants to change positions of the sky. In this this story, it's a race of rare giants. Whitebeard is a Bochica.<strong>

**Gwyligi- A type of 'black dog'. Black dogs are mythological beasts that are said to roam the british islands. Generally they either lead people to their deaths, signal someone's about to die, or outright kill them. Gwyligi are found in Wales, by the way. These black dogs can paralyze their prey with their gaze, and stalks them through the woods but does not always attack. Ligi is a Gwyligi.**

**Sekhmet- Egyptian goddess of war/healing/magic. Have to love Egyptians and their ability to multitask, right? She's traditionally the daughter of Ra, and a lion-headed Goddess. For the sake of this story, it's a race of mythos. Sekhmet are very good at healing other mythos, but they hold a deep grudge against humans. The healer Leigh is a Sekhmet.**

**Tiger- Another animal that shows up a lot in asian mythology. There's the hindu belief that the tiger is sacred vehicle of the Durga, the warrior goddess. And a symbol of power of the Lord Ayyappa. There are also many other stories of course, some including were-tigers. The Chinese Zodiac is also another big one. I even found tiger myths in the Americas, Britain, and a few other odd places. So, you guessed it, tiger mythos have their own clan. Thatch is a tiger.**

**Turtle- Turtles show up a lot world wide in mythology. Some myths say the world rides on the back of a turtle (Native American, for example). Some say turtles are helpful, some not-so much. Most agree they're slow. They were thought of as a creature that unites heaven and earth in more than one religion. There's quite a few stories in Asia about turtles, too. So they get their own mythos clan in this story. Izo is a turtle.**

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><p><strong>I'm the one who proof-reads and uploads the story (Anjelle) and while I was doing it...<strong>

**Anjelle: I got to the part where Ace is trying to wake Lu and for some reason it made me really depressed and I pictured Thatch and Marco doing a mercy killing and Ace trying to wake up his dead little brother ._.**

**Bedlam: Awwwww gods that's sad. Dammmmnnnnnn.**

**Anjelle: Right?!**

**Bedlam: And then I think they'd have to kill Ace first.**

**Anjelle: And then Ace is "falling asleep" still shaking his little brother as he dies and collapses on top of the other.**

**Bedlam: But then LUFFY!**

**Anjelle: RIGHT!**

**Bedlam: And OMG**

**Anjelle: IT DOESN'T WORK**

**Bedlam: The drug killing them does...but the mercy killing doesn't. OMG we're horrible. Horrible people. Brilliant, but horrible**

**Anjelle: We need to commit sepuku**

**Bedlamwolf: The story would have been a lot shorter if we killed the kids in chapter 2**

**Anjelle: yeah...BUT NO.**

**Anjelle: ...We had so many chances, too. Ligi, falling out of the tree, the syrup, Marco's mercy killing... That's impressive for one chapter.**

**To our lovelies~**

**key46812: (B) Did you hear that? We have a fangirl! (A) HUZZAH!**

**Reddiamond29: (B) You asked for it….though don't expect chapters to be this long again. (A) Yeah I'm seriously wondering how that happened...**

**kickassdani: (B) And we almost make someone faint. Very pleased with us right now. Anjelle, you get to answer the question. (A) *Sigh* Leaving me all the hard work... Humans don't have any special powers in this universe. They're just like us, very boring. And Teach was just being his usual, bastardly self :P I'm happy you're excited for the fic, we are too XD**

**cirmos98: (B) I would recommend not reading it in class. People always seem to read my stories at the worst places...But awkward looks can be fun, right? You can convert more people to the fandom! (A) I don't think you CAN read a chapter this long in class... Not while still paying attention, at least. Hehe I'm glad you think it's worth the awkward situations XD**

**bloodytears87: (B) I hope it is, we've put a lot of work into it. (A) Yeah, if it's not at least interesting I'm going to cry T_T**

**silent canary: (B) *Reads your thoughts on our characterization and is flattered* I'm also wondering if maybe you were listening in maybe….because while you weren't exactly spot on, you're deductions were close in a few spots. As for how young they are….very. (A) NEVER APOLOGISE FOR LONG REVIEWS. I love them *^* And I love to see people actually analysing our story. I mean I love the short ones too but seeing someone take the time to go into detail is really flattering! Oi! Bedlam! Hush up! I know you're new to this, but rule #1 about publicly replying to reviews is to ALWAYS BE VAGUE. Remember that e_e**

**CloudOf9: (B) Soundeffects. My work here is done. (A) Same *puts on sunglasses***

**Son Goshen: (B) Hate on trolls, please. Teach is a horrible creature. Well, here's the next chapter. It should be long enough to keep you busy for a while, right? (A) It better be. At this rate we'll be writing chapters that are 40,000 words long. Yeah, I like fantasy stories that take place in the past. Fun fact: when we first started talking about this story, Bedlam imagined it in a more modern setting :P And the kids weren't kids, right? They were young adults. Things changed. Luhfi is adorable! I like their new names, thank you :P The WILL be using the canon names soon, though. But these names aren't going to disappear; they'll be used in different ways. You'll see what I mean. I love Marco in this story XD I love when his instincts kick in, like with the nest. But I really love Thatch, too, especially this chapter and the next. And I love Ace 'n Lu, of course. They'll be getting a more vocal role as time goes on. No (sick, warped) pun intended. *cough* You're so sweet QAQ Well now you can read til your heart's content! OR until now. When you're reading this. This is the end. **

**PhantoMNiGHT321: (B) Why thank you. Hope you still feel that way after chapter 2. (A) Glad you like~ ...Hope you still do... *hides***

**Guest: (B) Here's the next part! (A) 'Tis continued!**

**uchiha-sakura193: (B) Western. Actually, There's this really cute picture that Anj- NM that's a spoiler. (A) GODDAMN IT BEDLAM I SAID QUIET. You were about to spoil the thing. I don't like that. But yeah, they're western.**

**Leite Destiny: (B) Well, we spend a lot of time spitballing ideas and writing snippits that just get dumped into a document. The thing is massive right now. It helps to really plan ahead. You'll see that some of your questions about mythos were answered in this chapter, and some others will be answered as we go along. So I won't say anything myself~ But the language barrier was a lot of fun to come up with, even if it can make writing some parts tough. Glad you liked the explanation of the mythos! Anjelle had to remind me to put that in. (A) Yes, yes I did. But yeah, the first day when Bedlam had the dream and started telling me about it we just kept going on and building upon each other's ideas until we had a plot. And it's going to be a loooong story. I'm thinking more than a year, but I'm not good at guessing these things XD The language barrier is important for several reasons and it's actually going to be pretty useful. And it's fun XD Don't listen to Bedlam, it's not hard to write (at least not to me who's in a German class and has a teacher who likes to make us feel completely lost). Nope, no difference between mortal and hu-well, a BIT of a difference. There are mortal mythos, for example. But humans ARE mortal so... yeah. Mythos aren't gods, they're literally mythical creatures. There ARE some god mythos in it, though. (No capital XD) Our take: if they didn't learn it, they don't know it. There's... tension between the mythos and humans. A lot of tension. And prejudice. And segregation... it's bad. But not everyone is horrible! I swear! Look at Thatch! And Izo! And Marco's not HORRIBLE, he at least knows to separate his opinions of the race from the kids... mostly. Not so great future... ahahaha... yeah, that about sums up the chapter... *cough* I'm happy to have your support! Garp and Dragon will be in the story more, but that's all I can say. In fact, a lot of characters from chapter 1 will be returning.**

**Fairy of the Friz: (B) I accept cool kind of different! Anjelle came up with the "it's a girl" thing. I almost died laughing myself. (A) Because he's actually wearing girl clothes! Or, well, he SORT OF is. We based his clothes off of the female hanfu and then altered it to match. We'll probably explain it fully later in the story, and I'm working on concept art for the fic as well :D They do not understand each other, if that's what you're wondering, and they're NOT going to understand one another through some magical intervention. You'll see :P**

**TheAnalei: (B) You're right, it's very out of character for a mythos, especially MARCO of all of them! I hope you continue to enjoy it. (A) As you can see, aside from the few in the scene, Marco's family was NOT happy. Blame them for Ace 'n Lu having to suffer so long. Or Bedlam. Blame her too.**

**Blueh: (B) Un….I plead the fifth on it getting better for them in this chapter. BUT! It was for plot! So don't kill us, because we started chapter 3, remember. And things do get better. (A) It was all her. I'm innocent, INNOCENT! Hey, he didn't KILL them. I'd say that's progre- *reads last scene* ...What?! He DIDN'T! *cough***

**Silver Demon Sword: (B) Love that you're so excited about this! It really gets me pumped to write when you all are so excited about this project, and seeing reviews that TELL us this makes my day. So, keep them coming! (A) I'm tempted to work on chapter 3 XD But there are other stories that need tending to so I'll work on those instead~ **

**Bard of Chaos: (B) Good, Anjelle was worried about that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, too. (A) Still worried about that, since other people said they could apparently tell...**

**Aerle: (B) Ah, well, as Marco says in this chapter, higher mythos have the ability to shift forms. So some look more human. We were deliberately vague. Sorry about that. As for the explanations, since Anjelle had to remind me the first time and people found them useful, I'm going to keep putting them in. XD (A) Basically most mythos have the ability to look at least somewhat "human" (they would argue that humans look like THEM but...) and the more powerful (and dangerous) they are, the more "human" their other form appears. Naturally even though Lu and Ace thought he was safe because he looks like them, that means that he's not. Generally when in public the mythos take the human-like form. We'll explain that more in the future. And yes, it's complicated XD Very much slow. If you know us, you'll know that we prefer complex stories. The simple ones can be fun, but where's the MYSTERY, you know? NO. I WILL WORRY. I WILL WORRY UNTIL THERE IS NO REASON TO WORRY.**

**SkittlesTheUnicorn: (B) Aww you flatter us! (A) Hope we don't let you down~ **

**teengens: (B) Spread the word! I keep saying once word gets out this is going to take off. Marco has reasons for being the way he is. As for Whitebeard, well… I look forward to him finally meeting the kids, myself. (A) It's only elaborate because we have no lives *cough* To be fair, like Bedlam said, Marco has his reasons. The prejudice has a source. Considering that, Marco's actually being EXTREMELY kind to the kids. **

**Frostheart D. Blaize: (B) Teach is the ugliest troll ever! Yep, they speak totally different languages. (A) Yep, pretty much.**

**Nugni: (B) *Reminds herself to thank Anjelle for ordering the explanation* I forget sometimes that other people don't know the same random stuff that I do. (A) I accept your words of gratitude, Bedlam :P Of course we're continuing! A little too much considering this chapter length... You're very welcome~~**

**Justa Little Puppy: (B) We only make it look easy because you're seeing it after we've gone over it again and again...and again. Seriously, I can't tell you how long each chapter takes us to plot, let alone write. But it helps a lot to work with a writer you respect and who's as excited as you are. I think that shows in the story. (A) I'm the one who gets stuck proof-reading the whole thing at the end :,D This chapter was a killer. I'm glad you think it's worth it, though! It's NOT easy. The easy part is figuring out random plot stuff. The hard part is plotting it COHERENTLY. Not so easy. **

**Ghanathesaiyan4: (B) It flatters me that you check every day! Here's your update, and I hope it continues to live up to it's high expectations. (A) Hope you don't hate us for beating the kids :,D IT WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE PLOT. **

**Nimphy-Ryuu-chan: (B) Generally, everyone you meet is going to be a mythos of some sort from here on out. And yes, Atche and Luhfi are adorable! Here's your next chapter! (A) Of course we'll continue! This story is like our crack! ...Speaking of crack, should probably so some work on Divide... Been a while. **

**caring16: (B) Here's more! Poor Ace (Atche) and Luffy(Luhfi) can't catch a break yet though, huh? (A) Again... I blame Bedlam. Ahem.**

**;_; That's the most reviews I (Anjelle) have ever gotten for a first chapter. Thank you guys so much and I hope you'll continue to support us as we write this ridiculously long and complex story!**

***Chapter quote by Seneca**

**Adieu~**


	3. The Beginning of Always

**Chapter Title (it was too long): "Remember Tonight, For it is the Beginning of Always."**

**Bedlam: Bedlam to start you out with the intro to chapter 3. We held off on this one because of reasons. But yes, it's been done for a bit. We're on to 4, 5 and 6 now. This one isn't as long as 2...and really, why must everyone hate on Ligi? I kid I kid. I hate the guy, too. He was created for you all to hate, so I think we did a good job there. Once again 3 was a lot of fun to work on, as are the next bunch. We're trying to be better and not let them run away from us, but it's hard. So much happens, and sometimes we have to bump things to other chapters for flow. Anyway. That's all I have, other than singing Anj's praises for her lineart she's been posting and the stories she's still cranking out. I've been working on mine but not posting….**

**Anjelle: A bit? It's been done since like a day or two after we posted 2 XD But yes, I made the cruddy lineart that is our cover. Was hoping to have it coloured before the update but... Well, there's always next time. You can see the full-sized version on my tumblr. I'll be sure to post links on our profile.**

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><p>Atche was warm. Not overly warm, like his hammock would get sometimes when Luhfi'd climb in with him. He'd never admit it out loud, but he loved it when his baby brother spent the night in bed with him, even if Grandpa said he was too old for stuff like that. He hugged Luhfi closer, burying his nose in hair that smelled of milled grains. Mama said they didn't have to listen to the old goat inside the hut if they didn't want to, anyway.<p>

"M'ungry, Atche..." Luhfi muttered sleepily into his chest, reminding Atche that he was hungry, too. He wondered when Mama was going to wake them for breakfa—_Mama_…He bit back a sob. All he had left of Mama were vague memories. Love and _acceptance_, something that they both missed, even if his little brother didn't understand why. Waking brought back the harsh reality that they'd never have any hope of finding what they craved ever again. If Luhfi hadn't stirred, waking sluggishly, Atche might not have moved and just let those monsters do what they would with him. But Luhfi needed him. His little brother was all he had left and he just couldn't give up.

Atche was shocked when he opened his eyes not to the darkened room that they'd been kept in. Even more surprising was that he was still _warm_, he and his brother curled up on some sort of pad that felt soft as moss when compared to the sack they'd huddled on the last few days. He let his eyes dart around as he sat up, taking in the large window that let in plenty of light as his heart pounded. There wasn't much to the room, just whatever they were on and a heavy-looking small table with four chairs. The strange, smiling, human-looking monster from before was there, sitting, just watching them. Both brothers returned his gaze tight-lipped as they waited for him to make the first move.

"_I was wondering how long you two were going to sleep,_" the man spoke, his tone as light and open as the smile on his face. Atche wasn't going to let that fool him. For all he knew he was _politely_ talking about killing them. He'd already proven himself untrustworthy twice. First he'd left them with that horrible monster, and then he'd _tricked_ them with that bread.

Well, two could play at that game, even if he couldn't back up his words. "I want to gouge out your eyes with a seashell." Luhfi blinked up at him from the protective circle of his arms in shock for a second before he started to giggle. Atche grinned; at least he could make his little brother laugh.

"_Good to see you're in such a good mood. Was worried there for a bit that bastard had... Never mind that, though. I bet you two are starving, huh?"_ The man rambled in his nonsensical language, unsealing a bowl that Atche hadn't noticed at first. His stomach rumbled loudly and he prayed to the gods that had abandoned them that this one wouldn't be so cruel as to make them _watch_ while it ate. He didn't think he could take it from something that looked a lot like the traders that used to stop by town. "Hungry, yes?"

He met the man's eyes for less than a second, untrusting even as he watched as a smaller bowl of whatever smelled so good was ladled out. His mouth was watering. Finally he nodded.

_"Of course you are. Poor things. Come on then."_ The small bowl was held out, but still he wouldn't move, wouldn't let go of Luhfi. Last time he had been weak and look what had happened; he had to be stronger. Luhfi, however, had other ideas. His little brother squirmed free and ran up to the table, a wide smile on his face as he clambered onto a chair. Atche was torn between pride and worry when his brother didn't take the bowl. The young boy looked at it with such heartbreaking longing that he finally gave in with a scowl and sat at the table himself. Luhfi beamed at him, having gotten his way as usual. "_There now, was that so hard? _Hungry?"

"Yes," he bit out, "but I'm not going to fall for the same trick twice. You did something to it." He shoved the bowl back towards the monster even though all he really wanted to do was take it. It smelled even more amazing up close.

The smile faltered, "_Come on, cub! I know you're hungry. Is this about before? I had to do it!_" and the bowl was once again nudged towards the two brothers. He just glared at it pointedly then at the man's chest, feeling his palms start to sweat even at this small act of defiance. But it had to be done; he couldn't risk losing Luhfi to whatever sick game the man was playing. Finally the man sighed. "_Fine. Alright, you win. It was a dirty trick. And that bastard said you were stupid... Look? See?_" Picking up the bowl the man took a drink from it before placing it back in the table, even going so far as to open his mouth to show the skeptical youth the liquid inside before swallowing. "_It's safe this time, I swear it."_

Either the monster was immune to whatever was in the soup, or it really was safe. Taking a cautious sip of the brownish liquid, he didn't _think_ there was anything in it that could be dangerous to his brother, but he wasn't_ sure_. It didn't taste like anything he was familiar with. Looking at the younger child's hopeful face and the way his cheekbones were showing, he knew there wasn't much of a choice. "Slowly, Lu. Don't spill."

"But Atche..." Luhfi whimpered, obviously upset about him not eating.

"I'll be fine, Lu."

"_Hey. No. Cub, you don't need to do that. Look; there's some for the both of you." _A second bowl was practically shoved in his hand. "Eat?" Despite it sounding like a question the look the man was giving him told Atche it wasn't. He lifted the bowl to his lips, willing to not challenge the redheaded man on it.

"YAY! Now you have some, too!" His brother grinned, "Remember. Slowly. Because it might be hot, right?"

Well, the liquid was warm, definitely not hot. It was more that he didn't want his brother to miss out on any of the food. Who knew when they'd get more? But Luhfi didn't need to know that. "Right. You don't want to burn your tongue."

It was some sort of thick broth, almost a soup. There were no pieces of meat or vegetables in it, but it tasted like there should be. Not that he could identify what kinds. Maybe onion, but he wasn't sure. Whatever was in it was making his stomach rumble _more_ even as he slowly drank it down. Atche snorted, annoyed with his stomach for deciding that it was even more hungry than before as he finished his bowl. Not a single drop remained, and glancing over he saw his brother licking the inside of his.

When Luhfi looked up, a small smudge of grease on his nose, he held out the bowl to the man who'd fed them. "I'm still hungry! I want more!"

"_Well, I bet I can guess what you're saying, little cub._" The redhead laughed. "No."

"YES!" Luhfi shouted back, shoving the bowl forward with a frown. "Hungry!"

A headshake was his only answer, earning a full-blown pout. Atche had expected it, though. The container he'd brought in was empty. Idiot probably thought he'd brought more than enough and couldn't understand why his little brother wasn't happy with what he'd gotten. _"I'm sorry. I know you're still hungry, but if you eat too much you're going to make yourself sick."_

"I'm still hungry…" His brother's dark brown eyes watered slightly and Atche sighed, gathering the younger boy into his lap.

"It'll be alright, Lu." It had become a motto, one they both clung to.

Luhfi shifted around, settling in his lap to face the strange man. He figured his brother was giving him his best dirty look. Luhfi was always doing that when he didn't get his way. At least he wasn't giving it to his big brother this time. Glancing across the table, the man had a funny expression on his face. His eyebrows were scrunched together and his mouth was open slightly._ Lu strikes again._ Atche ducked so the man wouldn't see his smirk and rested his forehead against the back of Luhfi's head. He blinked, confused as he stared at the back of his brother's neck and down his shirt. The ugly metal collar that had sat there choking his brother was gone. A dark span of skin marked the spot it had sat. Atche sat up, pushing Luhfi's head forward slightly as he tugged the back of his brother's shirt towards his own chest, earning a surprised yelp from his brother. Raw red patches of skin marred the base of the young boy's neck where the collar had chafed. Ace touched a finger to one; it came away covered in a clear salve which he wiped off on Luhfi's shirt. He frowned. The shirt was definitely not the same one his brother had been wearing earlier; that one had been little more than rags, dirty and threadbare on top of being ill-fitting. This one didn't fit him much better, but it was a nice clean red, soft, too.

Luhfi squirmed, "Atche, what are you doing?"

"Hold still, will you?" He went back to his investigation. It looked like there were bandages under the shirt. He'd have to lift the bottom of it to be sure.

"_Noticed, have you? Well, I don't know if I should be worried it took you so long or not._" Yes, definitely bandages. They _looked_ like they were on right, but Atche had to admit that he didn't know the first thing about how to put one on.

"Atche…."

"How do you feel, Lu?"

"Hungry."

"Other than that. Do you hurt?"

"_What are you two talking about, I wonder?_" Luhfi hummed for a few moments, thinking about it.

"Not really. I feel sort of tingly. And my neck doesn't hurt as much anymore!" His brother turned and Atche quickly reached out to prevent him from sliding off his lap. Luhfi's gaze immediately went to his own neck, and he tentatively touched it, half afraid he'd feel unforgiving metal. Instead he felt flesh, and his brother's eyes shone with joy. "Atche!" Arms wrapped around his neck and he returned the gesture, hugging his brother close.

"_I wonder if Marco would mind if I take a little trip into town later? I'm feeling like having dog tonight. What do you think?_" Grey eyes wet with unshed tears, Atche looked over at the man. "_Don't mind me, cub. Just talking to myself_." The weird man waved. "_I think I'm going either way, though_."

"Got no clue what you're talking about, mister…" he grumbled half to himself as he took a good look at the clothes he was wearing. Much like his little brother's they were better than before and he had no recollection of where they came from. Not even a half-remembered dream, which when coupled with the fact that he was pretty sure he was covered in bandages… _One way to find out_. He pulled his own shirt away from his chest. Just as he'd thought, bandages tightly pressed against his ribs and stomach, but he didn't really notice. There really was a slight tingly feeling, and when Atche ran a hand over the swaths of fabric they were warmer than he thought just his body heat would make them. He glowered at the man on the other side of the table. "When did you do this? How?" Even as he asked he knew the answer._ While we were drugged, they must have—_his heart began to race at the thought of being so completely at their mercy.

"_What's wrong? Are the bandages too tight?_"

"WHY?! Why are you doing this—_any_ of this—to us?" He didn't understand why. The only one who had been even halfway nice to them before was that blond guy. That had ended badly, with them being passed off to that... that _thing_ like they were nothing. This had to be a trick or something. Because he remembered the blond guy had been in the room too, and that couldn't be a good thing. Not when they'd seen what he _really_ was.

_"You must really not trust me much."_ The strange man let out a sigh, shaking his head slightly as he leaned back in his chair. "_Not that can I blame you. I'm surprised you haven't bolted for the do-o-oor—"_ He flexed his arms towards the ceiling and Atche thought he saw strange markings peeking out from under the long, white sleeves. He immediately forgot about them when the man yawned, though. He had sharp teeth. _Very sharp teeth_, with large fang-like ones on the sides. Atche clutched his brother to his chest convulsively and leapt to his feet. "_—yet. And there you go."_

He was across the room in seconds, yanking on the door's handle. Panic threatened to overwhelm him when it didn't budge at all, and he couldn't help the strangled whimper that escaped him as he spun, back pressed against the unyielding wood. The monster was still sitting there, watching them with sad-looking eyes. He'd probably just been fattening them up, and any second now he was going to attack. But Atche wasn't going to make it easy for him. Oh no. He looked around the room for an escape route, ignoring the way his stomach rolled unpleasantly.

"_Please don't get sick, cub. Take it easy. I knew I should have started you out on clear broth. What was I thinking?!" _He flinched, eyes shooting back to the man at the table at the sound before scooting around the walls of the room. He'd try the window. "_You've been giving the little one what little scraps that bastard gave you, haven't you? Damn it, I'm such an idiot."_ The walls were smooth stone? of some sort. There was no chance of pulling off something to use as a weapon.

The window glass was very clear, offering the boys an unobstructed view of what seemed to be a garden. He pressed against the cool pane, leaving a handprint on the thick and heavy surface as he tried to get it to budge. "Look, Atche! A bird!" Luhfi exclaimed, quickly losing focus in favor of the brightly colored bird that landed on the opposite side of the sill. He hardly spared it a glance, trying to wedge his fingers between the frame and the sill.

"_Marco's... he means well. He didn't think that bastard would—well, he feels bad. That's why I'm here: to fix you guys up for him!_" Atche glanced over his shoulder as he tried again to pry the window open at the slightly raised voice and saw the fanged man still sitting there, chin resting against his hand. He was grinning at them, or at least their general direction, obviously amused. "_Hey, don't hurt yourself, cub._"

"Ouch!" His fingers slipped, and he barked his knuckles on the heavy woodwork.

"_I warned you. Anyway. Marco's a good guy. He's just… lonely. Yeah, lonely."_ Looking at the window again he decided the only spot he might have luck opening it was all the way at the top, and he doubted it was wide enough for even Luhfi to fit. Not like they could reach, anyway. There really wasn't much else in the room. Just the table where the weird monster—why hadn't he attacked them yet?—was sitting. "_Don't tell him this, but I think you'll be good for him. Not like you have any clue what I'm talking about anyway, right?_"

That thing they'd been sleeping on! Maybe there was something there he could use to protect his little brother. He grabbed his brother's wrist and dragged him away from the window. Luhfi made a noise of protest; apparently the bird had still been there. This was more important, though. It was some sort of large, raised cushion. Atche was pretty sure that it was something called a 'bed', but only one person in the village used a 'bed' and it looked nothing like this. That bed had been a thin pad held off the ground by a wooden frame and supported by tight ropes. He cocked his head to the side as he walked around it, confused. This had no frame he could see. It was large and round—mostly round, it'd been shoved up against the wall and that side was flat.

"_Do you like it? You seem confused._" Luhfi'd already pulled himself onto the—well, he was just going to call it a bed and be done with it—and his little brother's weight caused it to sink down ever so slightly. Cautiously he climbed on as well. It was definitely soft and firm, but with much more give than the one in the village. He remembered sneaking into the house with Lu and jumping up and down on it once. They'd gotten in trouble, but the man had always been mad at them anyway so it didn't matter when they'd had so much fun.

Lu half turned, pulling on a blanket that had been part of a pile on the bed. "Atche! Look! There's a whole bunch, and lots of pillows too!"

"Really?" It was hard to walk on the insanely large bed. Finally he gave up and crawled over to his brother. Sure enough there was an impressive amount of blankets and pillows. Nibbling his lower lip thoughtfully, he started going through them. They could be lucky and one of the pillows would be hard enough to maybe use as a weapon, though most of the blankets looked well worn.

"_I'm not exactly familiar with human sleeping habits, so I wasn't sure if you cubs would feel better nesting or denning. So Marco and I made sure to get lots of nice clean bedding so you could do either. Or both._" Atche ran his hand along a particularly soft blanket and glanced over at the man _still_ just sitting at the table talking nonsense. Even if it was obviously not a new blanket, it was the softest one he'd ever felt. Completely useless as a potential weapon… but he loved it. He moved it to the side and hoped his little brother wouldn't use it for the fort he was busy making out of everything else. He let him; nothing in the pile was useful to defend themselves with and it was keeping his brother happy.

For his part he just flopped down with a huff and stared at the strange man. _He should have done something by now_. He was annoyed that the guy hadn't tried anything, in fact. Annoyed and quickly growing frustrated. There was nothing to _do_ in this room, and they couldn't get out. By now that dog-like guy would have long switched from shouting at them to either throwing things or beating them. Atche had hated him, but he'd been predictable, and the brothers understood predictable. (He refused to think about where he was and when he was coming back.) This was just too much _new_, and _new_ ended badly. Plus, he was hungry again.

The redhead sat straighter in his chair and reached down the front of his shirt, "_Well, I guess it's been long enough. You've both managed to keep down lunch, and I'm sure you're hungry, cub._" He pulled out a cloth bag and opened it up. Atche watched in shock as he picked out a thin wafer-looking thing from the bag. _"Mmmmm, doesn't THIS look good?_" The man didn't even look at him as he popped it in his mouth, making sounds of obvious enjoyment. Atche felt his jaw drop when the man did it _again_.

"I'm hungry, Atche," Luhfi whined, pressing against his side as the young child watched the man tease them.

"_Mmmm. So goood!"_ Another wafer was eaten, and this time the man glanced right at them. _"I know you're hungry. Am I going to have to eat this whole bag myself before you get up the nerve to come over here, little cubs?_" He ate another, _"It's a good thing I have two bags then, I guess._"

Atche looked down at his precious little brother who was practically drooling and then back at the man. The worst was that all this man seemed willing to do to them was tell them 'no'. So it wasn't likely he was going to _hurt_ them, not like the dog-guy. Even that drugged bread hadn't ended _badly_, really. The collars were off, at least. That's what he told himself when he slid off the bed and walked over to the table. It was the hard to do, and he couldn't bring himself to look at the redhead until he had settled his brother in a seat and climbed onto one himself.

When he did, the man was grinning without his fangs showing, holding out one of the small wafers. "_Good Cub. Come on now, take it…"_

Atche couldn't believe that the man was just going to share the food. He wasn't going to try and get them to talk or anything. He looked at the golden-yellow circle that the creature seemed to enjoy so much and wondered what it was exactly. It was held delicately between two claws, and he hesitated. The monster held completely still as the boy looked at his hand from all angles. When he glanced up, he swore that the other wasn't even breathing. Brown eyes met his and for the first time Atche didn't look away immediately. He didn't see disgust or even amusement. Just kindness and honesty. He was so shocked he reached out for the food before he'd realised it. It was slightly sticky in his hands, but not too bad. Handing it to Luhfi he licked his fingers. _Honey?_

"It's good! Really good!" his brother told him, smiling happily and he felt his lip twitch into a small smile. He was happy, too, and relieved for some reason.

The redhead ate another wafer himself, watching the two of them, before holding one out towards the brothers. "_Let's try this again._" And Atche took it readily before giving it to his brother. "_Good."_

Another one was held out and Atche reached for it, but Luhfi was there first. His tiny hands were dwarfed by the man's but he still held the man in place while he tugged the wafer free. He was so proud of himself when he held it out to his big brother that Atche had to remember to take it and not just hug him. It was sweet, but not overly sweet, and not at all as chewy as he was expecting. Atche decided it was good as he took another one for himself.

"_This is a kind of sweet bread, you know. It's a mythos staple, actually. Made out of sesame seeds that are ground into flour, eggs, butter, milk, vanilla, some spices and of course honey. It's very good for you._" The man pulled out another one of the sweets.

"Yes?" Luffy asked.

"Yes." He handed it over. _"So where you think you're getting a treat, you're not, not really. I made a ton of these, too._"

Atche barely waited until the next one was out of the bag before he had his hand out, his mouth watering. "Yes?"

"Yes._ Positive reinforcement's the way to go._" The redhead passed out two more before eating one himself, talking the whole time. _"Plus, you probably think you're getting one over on me, too._" Luhfi's hand shot out for the next one, the child bouncing in his seat. "_Let's see how this works… can't keep calling you 'cubs' or 'humans' all the time, right?_" He pointed to himself and said clearly, "THATCH," while looking directly at both of them. "THATCH," he repeated before eating the sweet.

Atche blinked in surprise, it clicking immediately what the other was trying to do. He leaned forward as the man reached into the bag sitting on the table and pulled out a treat and watched as the clawed finger pointed at his younger brother. It would be interesting to see what Luhfi did. The young child blinked at him before grinning widely and pointing at himself, "Thatch!"

Atche laughed out loud at that. Thatch, because he now had a _name_ for the man, handed over the treat with a shake of his head. But he was smiling, and Atche thought he might have expected something like that. "_I'm glad you think this is funny_._ Let's see how you do, though. You're the older one, right? Set a good example_." Once again Thatch reached into the bag and pulled out a sweet. Atche watched his lips carefully as he spoke. "THATCH." He ate the treat, pulled out another and pointed to Atche.

He nudged his little brother so that he was paying attention first and then pointed to the man who'd been giving them treats, keeping eye contact with his brother. "Thatch." He saw realization _finally_ dawn on Luhfi, and smiled, turning his attention to the man. He pointed at his brother and made sure to speak slowly "LUHFI," and then himself, "ATCHE".

Thatch's whole body just seemed to relax a little bit, and he couldn't figure out why. But as the man handed over the sweet he decided it didn't matter. There was something about sharing—_being asked for—_their names, for the first time since everything had happened, that felt good. His little brother sat there swinging his legs back and forth sing-songing, "Thatch-Thatch-Thatch!" so he could tell even Lu felt the same way.

"_Alright, let's see if I got this._" A sweet was held out, and the man pointed to Atche. "Ath_ and_ Luvi?"

"No." Luhfi giggled, taking the treat out of his hand. "Atche and Luhfi!"

"_I'm not hearing it... Okay,_ Acky _and_ Lofie?_ Is that right? It sounds the same to me as what you're saying…_"

Atche took the treat and handed it to his brother who ate it happily. "No."

"_This isn't working at all._" Thatch shook his head, a small smile on his face at his attempts. Atche didn't think it was that funny. Their names weren't _that_ hard. _"How about _Lu _and_ Ach?" Thatch was still smiling, offering a sweet. Atche saw red—_no one_ had the right to call them that. The only people allowed to shorten your name like that were supposed to be your family, and he wasn't even _human_.

He snatched the treat and threw it as hard as he could at Thatch's face, "How _dare _you?!"

"_What? Wha—"_

"You're not family! You don't get to call us that, ever! No one does! NO!" he screamed.

His little brother tugged on his sleeve and he turned his attention to Luhfi. The boy's lower lip was quivering slightly and Atche immediately deflated, pulling the younger child into his lap. It had been a long, long time since anyone but him had called Luhfi 'Lu'. "You can't just do that, alright? Only family gets to shorten your name like that," he explained even though he knew Thatch wouldn't understand. "It's rude." Not to mention it hurt, being reminded of how alone they were. Luhfi sniffled wetly into his chest, and he rocked his baby brother in his arms, blinking his eyes furiously. The redhead was staring at him with this shocked expression, and he didn't have time to worry about whatever he thought. If he wanted to punish him for throwing the sweet or yelling, Atche would worry about it later. Right now Luhfi needed him to be his big brother and make everything all better. "It's alright Lu," he muttered, "I'm here for you; I won't leave you."

"M-mama…. I w-want Mama," Luhfi wailed, big, fat tears running down his cheeks and into the fabric of Atche's shirt . "I wa-wanna go home!"

Atche glared at Thatch as the redhead stumbled back from the table, apparently taken by complete surprise by the sight of Luhfi's tears. "This is your fault, you know."

Thatch had stood so fast he'd knocked his chair over, but he didn't seem to notice at all. Instead he was just looking at them. Atche did his best to ignore him standing there. "_What did I do? Gods, you must think I'm some kind of monster._" It was hard to ignore him with the way he was talking under his breath, though. _"You poor things; what could have happened to you…"_ He spun on his heel and continued to mutter, but so low it was drown out by Luhfi's hiccupping cries.

He watched as the man paced, trying to comfort his brother. There was a big part of him that was _glad_ to see him so upset over Luhfi's tears. He deserved it, reminding them of what they had lost. _Acting like he's family. Like he could replace Mama._ There was this other, smaller part that felt bad—that kind of liked the monster. For a big, bad, scary creature, he and his little brother already had him pretty much figured out. He was a pushover. After all, they'd managed to get more food out of the man after he'd said 'no' before.

Thatch stopped right next to his chair and looked down at them, running his hands through his hair. He seemed to have come to sort of a decision, because he dropped in front of them and lightly tapped his brother on the shoulder. When Luhfi pulled his face out from Atche's shirt, his eyes were red.

The man took a deep breath before looking directly at his little brother. "Lu-ffy?" He held up a handful of sweets, his expression hopeful. _"Please, cub. I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know I can't make it all better for you two, but I'm going to try. Marco, too. Please, you just need to take this first step._"

His brother thought about it for a second. Sniffling, he looked up at him, silently asking what he should do. Atche just shrugged. He was just as confused as his little brother. Luhfi sucked his lips, giving Thatch a hard look. The moment felt like it stretched on forever before the child spoke, "Luffy!" He pointed at himself and repeated the name before taking the sweets.

_"Oh thank the gods, little cub._ Luffy." Thatch offered a shaky smile, _"I'll be sure to remember that."_ He looked at Atche, eyebrows raised.

"Atche." If the man insisted on re-naming them, _he_ wasn't going to be the one to pick out his new name. 'Atche' was the name his family gave him.

_"…Okay, how about… _A-sce?" He found the sweets offered to him. _"Does that work?_"

_Asce?_ It wasn't bad, but it still wasn't quite right. Atche chewed his lip in thought, wondering why. Then it hit him: the way it was drawn out in the middle reminded him too much of those snake-people. He had to repress a shudder; it just wouldn't do. Maybe if that part was shorter? "Ace?" he muttered before nodding to himself. Looking at his (well he wouldn't call him a _friend, _really. Acquaintance, maybe?) he poked the man in the chest, "Thatch. Luffy. Ace."

"Ace. Luffy. Thatch. _Got it." _Thatch grinned widely, fangs peeking out from under his lip as he handed over the sweets. Yet, for some reason 'Ace' wasn't bothered by them this time. He wondered why that was.

* * *

><p>Had it been a few weeks earlier, Atche would have said that room was mind-numbingly boring. There was nothing to do, nowhere to go and all that mon—all that <em>Thatch<em> really did was speak in a language they didn't understand, occasionally muttering a few broken sentences they _did_ know, and that was only for food. But really, after being stuck for so long—he didn't know _how _long—in that dark, damp room, he couldn't complain. They had light. They had food. And they didn't have to relieve themselves on a bucket in the corner. Thatch rarely even got up out of that seat, never approaching much less hitting them. And with those teeth and claws, Atche knew he could tear them apart in seconds. Maybe he didn't eat humans?

At some point, Atche began assisting Luhfi with the fort he tried to make earlier. They'd worked together, piling the pillows and cushions one atop the other and draping blankets over them—though he kept his favourite hidden behind the bed-like thing they were sitting on.

_"So you prefer denning, huh? I'll be sure to remember that." _He glanced the redhead's way, acknowledging him even though he didn't understand a word he was saying. It seemed only right after the man-beast bandaged them up and fed them. That was more than any of the other monsters ever did. Mama was the last one who was nice to them like that. After so long it was… kind of embarrassing. And he didn't know why.

"No, Lu," he started, removing the pillow his brother had just stacked onto the pile, "you want the small ones on the top. Like this."

"Alright!" The boy beamed at him as he went about correcting the fort that was far less sturdy than it probably should have been on his little brother's side. "Hey, Atche, I'm hungry again."

"You'll have to wait." He saw the boy's pout and smiled, spreading one of the blankets over the pillows that weren't wobbling. "He might want to get rid of us if we eat too much, right?"

The child's face sagged further as he looked to Thatch with sad, broken-hearted eyes, giving a reluctant nod. After what the dog-guy did to them, they couldn't afford to hope for more than they'd already been given. The fact that their aches, their bruises and cuts were given a break from the abuse was already enough to be thankful for. They could heal.

_"What's wrong, little cub? _Luffy?"

Both heads snapped up as Atche recalled the new names they'd been given, all because that man couldn't pronounce them. In truth he wasn't _that_ upset—it was better than him trying to shorten their names—but he wasn't about to just _accept _it. Thatch could call them that all he wanted but Luhfi was still Luhfi and Atche was still Atche. Nothing would take the names their mother gave them away from them.

Luhfi, who'd crawled into the incomplete fort at some point, washed the sadness from his face to blink quizzically at the monster, waiting.

_"Are you hungry again?"_ he asked with a smile, reaching for the bag of treats he had before. Atche could tell it was a question by the intonation but for the life of him he couldn't recognise the words. _"I can't give you much or you'll get sick. Marco should be showing up sooner or later—hopefully sooner since I'm falling asleep. You'll be able to walk all over him with how guilty he feels." _He pulled a sweet from the bag and held it out.

His little brother beamed, hopping out of the fort to steal the wafer from the monster's hand without hesitation. Atche was a little uneasy letting his brother so close, but after how many hours they'd been there without him hurting them he thought that maybe… maybe it would be okay. Maybe Thatch was good.

"More!" Luhfi demanded, holding out a splayed hand.

Thatch laughed as he handed it over. _"Alright, alright, but this is the last one. I'm sure Marco will spoil you rotten once I leave. Bird-brain doesn't know how to say 'no' anymore."_

The boy looked at it, his mouth watering as he broke it in half and turned to his big brother still across the room, grinning at him in that adorable way of his. "You have some too, Atche!"

He was about to get up when the knob started to jiggle. Both boys remained frozen when, for the first time since they woke, the door opened. Eyes widened as a tall blond was revealed on the other side and Luhfi immediately dashed towards his brother, ignoring his injuries as he dove into Atche's chest, an almost instinctual response that developed while under that dog-man's care. Honestly, he wasn't sure the kid even realised who it was; he simply sought safety from the only place he could get it.

Atche saw the blond glance his way with half-lidded eyes and fought to hide his trembling as he remembered the day before, a sea of blue flames engulfing his sibling as he fell from a tree. In all honesty it _terrified_ him, seeing a giant bird grab his brother mid-fall and set him down. He heard the stories—the legends. The old guys in town would always talk about the mythos, about the dangers of them, and as he stared into those bored, blue eyes he remembered something he'd been told, once upon a time: _the more human they look, the more dangerous they are._

That was when it clicked: Suzaku, one of the most feared mythos of all—one of the most powerful.

And it transformed. And it was _him_.

The blond reluctantly looked away from their cowering forms, heading over to the other monster at the table. Thatch didn't seem too surprised by their reactions, a sad smile playing on his lips as he turned to the other.

_"Took you long enough."_

_"I paid Ligi a visit before coming here yoi,"_ the blond started as he lowered himself into a chair. _"He can't hurt them anymore."_

Ace watched as the redhead gaped at the phoenix, distress washing over his features, and he held his brother tighter, closer. He'd protect him if something happened, no matter what.

_"You didn't."_ They shared a look before something feral entered Thatch's eyes. It was just an instance, just a minute flash across his face, but it had the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. _"And you didn't save me anything? Not even a leg?"_

_"Sorry yoi. Wasn't thinking about that at the time."_

_"That's why we were supposed to go together. Marco, brother, I skipped breakfast for this!"_

_"…Sorry."_

The redhead sighed, glancing at the boys periodically before shrugging his distress off. "_Nah, I don't blame you. I'd have done it myself. What do you plan on telling Dalmatian? Ligi worked for him originally, right?"_

The bird relaxed in much the same way, a tired look on his face as his elbows came to rest against the table. _"He had rabies. He had to be put down. There was nothing we could do yoi."_ He paused, a groan passing his lips. _"I feel sick."_

_"Stomach?"_

_"Yeah. The mutt was rotten yoi."_

Thatch folded his arms. _"That's what you get for not sharing."_

_"Oi…"_

Atche took the laid-back atmosphere as a chance to hide within the mostly-built fort with his brother, glaring at the two from within.

The bird blinked, staring unabashedly their way. Each time he did that it sent chills running up the human's spine. He was sure it was the same for his brother, if the way he huddled near to him was anything to go by. What bothered him most was that the blond kept _moving_! Thatch pretty much remained stationary the whole time they'd been awake aside from a bit of pacing. He wasn't sure how to deal with that.

But he wouldn't let his fear or uncertainty show on his face, making low noises instinctively to ward them off—not that he thought he could actually intimidate them, but he wanted to put on a brave front and after having that metal ring around his neck for so long it just felt natural not to use words. They wouldn't understand him, anyway.

_"He's growling yoi."_

_"He's scared," _Thatch replied, snapping his fingers to get the bird to look his way. _"What did I tell you? No sudden movements, no eye contact. You're freaking them out again!"_

_"I didn't do anything yoi."_

_"Yes, you did!" _Those blue eyes found their way back to the brothers. _"And you're doing it again! Stop that!"_

_"Breathing?"_

_"LOOKING AT THEM!" _The roar held no malice or anger but still had Atche and Luhfi flinching. Earlier he wondered what type of monster he was with those big teeth and long claws but now he'd decided that he didn't want to know. _"Look at the wall or something! Stupid bird…" _Whatever he was saying dropped off into a series of mutters that, even if he knew the language, the boy would find incoherent.

Blue eyes lingered before returning to gaze at the redhead, though Atche caught the almost-glances his way. _"Why is this so easy for you? You're a predatory mythos."_

_"It's called stalking. You let your 'prey' move first."_

_"But I don't want to kill them yoi."_

Thatch dropped his forehead into his palm with a groan, making Atche wish he knew what they were talking about even more. It was obviously about them since the blond—he _was_ Suzaku, wasn't he?—kept looking their way, but that only made him more curious.

He felt his brother shift beside him, turning owlish eyes his way. "They're being weird," he whispered into his sibling's ear, curling up tightly against him.

Atche snorted. "They're monsters. What did you expect?"

"The lady keeps looking at us…"

"It's a guy," he stated as he glanced at the kid before returning to glare.

"But the dr—"

"HE'S NOT WEARING THE DRESS!" He immediately regretted shouting, cupping his hands over his mouth as both of the monsters turned to look their way with confused expressions. Atche couldn't help it, though; every once in a while when they were thrown into that cold, smelly room, his brother had asked when the 'lady' was coming back. He would wonder when 'she' was going to save them, but the elder had given up. That was why it annoyed him so much whenever Luhfi brought up the blond man from before—he didn't want false hope.

Eventually the men deflated and he saw Suzaku's posture sag, as though the tension had been drained from his shoulders. _"They're talking."_

Thatch grinned. _"I told you: we can FIX this, alright? Just trust me."_

The blond nodded hesitantly, which seemed to be the sign Thatch needed to stand from his seat. He edged the bag of treats towards the bird before rummaging through a sac atop the table, retrieving a second. He pulled out all sorts of other things and piled them in front of Suzaku. Atche didn't know what half of it was, but he was curious.

_"Their names are hard to pronounce so just call them _'Ace'_ and_ 'Luffy' _and whatever you do, do NOT shorten them. Bad things happen. Very bad things."_ They _were_ talking about them! It was a little irritating knowing that. _"They like the sweets so you can try using them to teach the cubs your name or something. Don't approach them; let them come to you. No sudden movements, alright? And if you can't think of anything to do then just… read a book or something."_

The blond started sifting through the pile, sniffing things that it seemed even he didn't know about. _"And the rest of this yoi?"_

_"Bandages, salve… just stuff to treat them with if my nap lasts longer than seven hours."_

_"Seven hours isn't a nap."_

_"It is for me! Try not to spook them and you'll be fine. And don't give me that look—it'll be okay. They're just scared. You said so yourself: they're talking. That's a big step."_

Suzaku sighed, nodding to something that the other said, watching as Thatch stepped out of the room. Atche felt the urge to rush after him but repressed it. His mind flashed to a day that seemed so long, long ago, left alone with that _thing_ that… that _hurt_ them—hurt _Luhfi._ And that was just a dog. That wasn't the firebird he heard stories of. It wasn't _Suzaku_. If one dog-man could do all that, what could a phoenix do? How cruel could he be?

As the bird turned its eyes to them, Atche slunk back deeper into the fort, huddling Luffy closer to him. He wouldn't say he was scared—uneasy, maybe, but not scared. Even so, he couldn't help the flashes of memories as they bombarded his mind, of darkness and pain and _so much else._

Suddenly a spark of realisation flashed across the blond man's face and his eyes narrowed. _"Those are your names but… which one's which yoi?"_ He turned to the bag on the table, sticking two clawed fingers inside to retrieve one of the round snacks they'd eaten before.

"Oh yeah!" Luhfi exclaimed, finally remembering the wafer halves he was still holding. He shoved one into his mouth sloppily, crumbs falling to their fortress's floor as he held the other half out for his brother. "Here, Atche! You eat too!"

Honestly, his stomach was turning too much for it to even look appetising. "I'm not hungry," he bit out, looking at the monster but never meeting its eyes, "you eat it."

Luhfi's pout didn't last long as he devoured the sweet whole. He seemed to have relaxed—wasn't as scared as earlier—leaving the elder of the two to watch their very likely enemy as he sniffed the treat, reminding Atche of a wild animal.

Then blue met grey. Atche had to avoid his eyes; the dog-man never liked it when he made eye contact. He would tug hard on their chains, choke them, and the brothers learned quickly that their gaze should never fall above his chest. It was almost instinctive now.

"Ace," he called, looking between them and holding the sweet out between his talons. Realisation washed over Atche as he recalled his new name. Suzaku seemed to notice as his gaze fixed on the elder boy, waiting. _"So that's you, then. Well, come on. You can have it yoi. I'm not like Ligi, I promise."_

He didn't need to understand to know what the bird-man was saying; he wanted Atche to take the sweet. But there was _no way_ he was getting close to that thing, instead ducking further behind pillowed walls. Those partially-lidded eyes opened a bit, something akin to worry on his face as he stayed perfectly still. When he saw that Atche wouldn't budge, he quickly turned to the younger, making the same silent offer. Neither moved.

"…Luffy?" The boy's ears perked up. He stopped gathering the crumbs and remnants of the pastry to look at the monster, his eyes never going above his chest. Suzaku looked frazzled as he urged the kid to take the sweet. _"Please don't be scared. You weren't before. Just… just take it. I won't hurt you."_

Before Atche had a chance to stop him, Luhfi had already sprung up and left the fort, hesitantly inching closer to the treat held out for him. "No, Luhfi! Don't!" Of course the boy didn't listen, taking small, slow strides nearer to the monster, carefully reaching for it. He stopped when his hand was mere centimetres from it, meeting blue eyes for the first time. Atche held his breath. _Don't hurt him. Don't touch him. Please…_

_"Go on."_

Pulling his mouth taut, Luhfi cautiously closed his fingers around the sticky treat, gently taking it from the other, and his big brother breathed a sigh of relief. But then he heard a breath hitch in the bird's throat and his attention was grasped once more. Eyes widened on the gaped mouth of the blond as he reached for his brother. Immediately Atche sprung up, destroying the fort as he dashed towards them. "Don't you_ dare_ hurt him!" But he was too late and a hand of sharp claws was already pressed against his brother's neck. The boy had flinched but never pulled away, leaving Atche to slow to a stop and stare in confusion. He finally brought himself to look the phoenix in the eyes.

It looked like the man was hurting—not the same way they were, not from injury or abuse, but something else. His eyes were fixed on Luhfi's neck, on the purple and greenish skin lining the area where he'd been collared. He ran his fingers lightly over the salve-covered cuts from where the metal chafed and dug through their skin repeatedly, where marks were reopened again and again with every jerk of the chain, every time they were dragged through the halls because their tiny limbs weren't keeping up. Why was he looking at them like that? Why was he pretending to sympathise? He _left them there_! With that thing—with that _monster_! Wasn't that what he wanted? Wasn't he the one who told that dog what to do with them? So why was he upset? How _dare_ he look sad?

…But those thoughts died in his head, never to surface, because that man looked just as broken as they did.

After a stretch of stillness, the man gently tilted Luhfi's chin upwards, careful of the bandages and tender sores as he positioned his head to get a better look. _"…They won't heal. They'll scar."_ His tone was somber, audible only because the room had achieved near-perfect quiet broken only by the sounds of their careful breaths. Suzaku bit his lip. _"…How are you supposed to move on if you have those marks yoi?"_

Atche furrowed his brow. He didn't know the words but there was worry in that voice. And fear. But his baby brother didn't seem to hold the same reserves; he saw him out of the corner of his eye beaming brightly. "See?" he started as he handed half of the honeyed treat for his sibling to take, "I knew she was nice!"

It shot his nerves to hell but he managed to grab the half held out to him, thinking that maybe it was okay. Maybe he could… not _trust_ but… relax around the phoenix? But when he took one more look at the blond he inwardly panicked, noting how distraught he was. Something was wrong. He was upset, but _why_? They were strangers! He shouldn't care about them! So why—

"Does it hurt?" Luhfi's voice cut through the silence, pulling him from his thoughts as he turned owlish eyes to the bird, reaching towards him not enough to touch, but to feel the other's body heat gently caress his skin. His face went from a frown to a smile instantly as he gathered the courage to set his hand down on Suzaku's knee. "Atche says that when I hurt it's okay to cry. You can cry too; I won't tell!"

Atche swallowed. "Lu…" He turned to see that the phoenix looked even more distraught—no, more _shocked_. He couldn't have understood the words, so what brought it on had to be the touch and—

_"…After all that, you can still smile?"_ There was a pause as he took a breath. _"Thank the gods…"_

The way that man was acting bothered the elder brother as he stood awkwardly beside his sibling. Luhfi wanted to cheer him up so Atche did, too. But he wasn't sure how. When Lu looked like that he would take him into his arms, rub his back in soothing circles to help calm him down. But that man hated their touch before. On that day, what seemed like forever-ago, he cringed every time they grasped his hand or robes. He never tried to hide his disgust with them, how he felt about humans. So he couldn't do that—didn't want to make him mad. He began patting his clothes but, of course, he didn't _have_ anything. Except…

Nervously he stepped forward, taking his brother's spot in front of the man. He stared at his chest but even without seeing could _feel_ those eyes on him, making him a nervous wreck. "Stop it. Stop _doing that_." But of course it was futile so he resigned himself to action over words, holding the treat out in front of him for the man to take with furrowed brows. He dared to glance up, just briefly, noting the confusion on the other's face, then the softness—something he hadn't seen in the phoenix before.

When a hand brushed against his own he jumped a little, stiffening as it pushed his arm back towards his chest with a shake of his head.

_"Eat. Hatchlings need their strength." _The tone was calm, soothing, and even though he didn't know what was said the intent was clear. He raised the sweet to his lips, biting into it as the man watched both brothers. _"Worrying about me when you've been—you're… strange for humans yoi._ Luffy."

At the sound of his name Luffy stepped forward, grinning as another of the pastries was placed in his hand. He gobbled it up instantly, standing ready for more.

_"Slowly, boy. _Ace."

It was Atche's turn and before he knew what he was doing, he was pulling the treat from clawed fingers. But before he bit into it he paused and thought, shakily pointing at the phoenix. "Suzaku."

The blond blinked once, twice, before his mouth curved into the faintest of smiles and he shook his head, leading Atche to raise his eyebrow. That was his name; he'd heard it himself! _"Do you know what that title is?" _He seemed to wait for a response. _"Of course not yoi. But I don't want you to use it. _Marco," he said slowly, pointing to himself.

The boy swallowed, heart racing as he readied himself to repeat, "Marco."

That smile widened, just a bit. _"That's right."_

Luhfi beamed, tugging on the blond's hand to get his attention and when he had it he laughed. "Marco!"

_"You're getting it. _Marco."

He wouldn't admit it, but Atche was relieved. That man hadn't garnered their trust, but he felt more… human.

* * *

><p>Marco sighed as he read, feeling a light press against his arm. After feeding them a variety of things Thatch had left—in moderation and spanning over hours, as he'd been warned the day before that they wouldn't be able to hold down too much at a time—he wasn't sure what to do with them. The small one, Luffy, had tugged on his robes until he sat on the floor with them, which of course for legs like his wasn't exactly comfortable but he managed to lower himself without the boys seeing through the layered regalia to his non-humanlike feet. Luffy seemed to… not <em>trust<em> him, but was interested all the same, which was good; he'd been worried the nestlings wouldn't go near him after what Ligi did, especially with how terrified they looked when he transformed. He wouldn't forget the looks on their faces, knowing that they'd probably react the same way if they ever saw him like that again.

Earlier the humans had gathered in their nest to start rebuilding the den that collapsed when Atche—no, wait, he was supposed to call him Ace, wasn't he? He'd picked up on their real names quickly and, in his opinion, they weren't that difficult. But maybe that was a good chance for them to move on. If they were scared of mythos and held a bad past with humans, maybe that could be a fresh start for them—so when _Ace_ got up, the den they'd built collapsed. Both boys went about rebuilding it, making it even bigger than before, until it was finally complete and Luffy got bored, crawling to the bird's side to see what he was reading. He couldn't read the words of course—most humans couldn't read their own language, let alone the language of the mythos—but still seemed to try as he peeked around Marco's shoulder. Ace remained in their nest, glancing over periodically as he perfected their den.

Moments ago Luffy started leaning against him. He glanced down at the boy, noting his drooping eyes as he yawned. Ace wasn't doing any better, really, his lids slipping closed every now and again as he swayed. It made sense they were so tired; they would need the rest if they were expected to heal. So, closing his book and dropping it to the floor, he turned to the little one and hesitantly scooped him into his arms. The action was forced, his dislike of humans pushing its way into his muscles despite everything that happened, but he did his best to ignore it as he walked across the room with the human against his chest.

Ace, half asleep as he was, growled at his approach, glaring when he saw his brother bundled tightly in the other's arms. Marco, for the most part, ignored the groggy threats from the boy who wasn't even tall enough to reach his waist and placed the younger carefully within the den of cushions and blankets before giving the elder his undivided attention. For the most part, Ace was the more cautious of the two, and the least trusting. Perhaps age had something to do with it—how old were they?—but the phoenix couldn't go near him without some sort of feral sound passing his lips. The only exception had been earlier when he was looking at Luffy's neck, seeing damaged skin that he knew would never heal. The areas where the collars repeatedly dug into their flesh looked like they had been opened every time that mutt had tugged on their chains, keeping them from healing. They would scar. They would scar and the boys would forever have those marks on their necks, reminding them of what they went through. It was only a week, but that was all that was needed.

The nestling looked far too tired to really care so Marco stepped forward. Ace's body went rigid but he never backed away, even as the phoenix knelt down in front of him.

"Hatchlings like you need their rest yoi. Get to sleep."

It looked like Ace wanted to protest as the blond reached out but he couldn't hold on for long, falling to lean against Marco's arm. He lifted the boy carefully and stuck him beside his kin, covering them in a blanket that was quickly kicked off. Both had their eyes open still, just barely, too tired to move. He knew it wouldn't be long and sighed, gathering some of the pillows that had fallen onto the floor during the construction of their den.

His eyes caught on a blanket shoved behind their nest and he blinked, reaching for it curiously. Nostalgia washed over him as he gripped the soft, smooth fabric of the old cloth, the corners of his mouth curving upward as he looked at it. A scent wafted his nose—Ace's scent. Had the boy hidden it there? Shrugging it off, he straightened and placed it over the humans' legs. Instantly they latched onto it, bunching it in their arms to snuggle nearer, their muscles relaxing. Luffy seemed to fall asleep soon after but Ace was still holding on, looking like he wasn't all there as his eyes forced themselves not to fully close.

"It's soft, isn't it?" he questioned, not particularly expecting a reply as he smoothed out their covering and tucked them in. "That was mine as a hatchling. My father gave it to me during my last rebirth yoi."

Why was he telling them about that? But soon grey met blue and he was staring into the eldest child's eyes, watching as he nestled closer to the other.

"I hope it's warm enough for you."

And slowly those eyes slid shut, light snores filling the room.

_Goodnight._

* * *

><p>Atche woke to the touch of the softest blanket he'd ever felt. Snuggling closer he yawned, stretched and opened his eyes, peering blearily into the room. Lu was next to him, having stolen the blanket that they were using as a roof to cover himself with. Looking out at the window, night was arriving fast, the last tendrils of pink and orange vanishing from the midnight sky.<p>

The boy sat up, wincing as the aches and pains from his injuries washed over his body. The only light in the room came from a few candles and lamps, leaving it just bright enough for them to be comfortable with. Then he noticed something: there was no one there. Thatch was gone and so was the bird, leaving them alone. The lack of company brought a rise of unease to swell in the pit of his stomach and he hopped to his feet, heading for the door.

He was surprised to see that the slab of wood was unlocked as he opened it, peering hesitantly into the connecting room. Immediately his eyes fell on the two monsters from before as they sat across from one another at a table, neither seeming to notice him.

_"Look: you want the cubs to understand you, right? Then you're going to have to do a little better than that."_

The blond groaned, dropping his head into his palms. _"Human languages are tedious yoi. Why can't they learn ours?"_

_"You plan on keeping them, right?"_

_"…Right."_

_"Then they'll pick it up eventually, but until then you need to be able to understand the important stuff. Try again."_

Suzaku—no, wait, it was Marco, wasn't it?—heaved a sigh. "Hungry _yoi_."

Atche's ears perked up. He understood that—or at least the first part. That was _his_ language. So then Marco and Thatch were…

_"Good, you got it that time."_

_"It's only one word yoi."_

_"Marco. Brother. It's important. If you know when they're hungry then it'll help out a lot when I'm not around."_

_"Taking seven hour naps."_

_"Hush. I need my beauty sleep. Now let's try 'yes'. _Yes."

"Yes."

_"See, you're getting it. No. _No."

"No."

_"You better be taking notes, bird."_

_"Yes, cat."_

Atche blinked, listening as they went back and forth with words that were basic to say the least, but they were words he _understood. _Beneath the phoenix's annoyance he could see a layer of deep concentration and as he stood there and watched the exchange he felt the corners of his mouth twist into an involuntary smile.

He took an absent step, alerting the two to his presence. Both sets of eyes turned to him and he flinched, but didn't move. They exchanged a look before the blond fully turned to him, leaning forward a bit. "Hungry _yoi_?"

The boy swallowed, taking one more step, supressing his excitement as he nodded. "Yes, hungry."

Thatch laughed as he rose from the chair. _"Alright, I'll fix you up a midnight snack."_

Being understood… felt _great._

* * *

><p><strong>Before anyone asks: Yes, Marco ate Ligi. We'll touch on it more in the future but for now all you need to know is that it's a mythos custom and will be mentioned later. Just remember it. Also, HOLY REVIEWS. I don't know where you all come from but we're grateful! Thanks so much for the support and we hope to see you around more in the future! <strong>

**To our lovelies~**

**Blue Wolf Miko: (B) It will get less sad…. (A) It'll get better! Don't worry, be happy~**

**Ireadtomuch: (B) HA! You thought you could fool us, when combined we have the power to break down the hardest of exteriors… No really, to keep up the illusion, read in private from now on. (A) Lol yeah, just read at home XD**

**damichan: (B) Thanks! Define 'catching a break'? (A) Yeah, because… things… will happen…**

**Son Goshen: (B) Ligi...Ligi is something I have to own up to. We wanted to create a character people could hate cleanly without coming into this with preconceived notions like if we had used someone from One Piece. We HAD thought about Breed or Dalmatian, but then you'd just hate him on principle right away not for what he did. So he's an OC. (A) I SAID NOTHING MESSED UP INTENDED GEEZ.**

**ThiefofStealth: (B)Yeah, chapter 2 is a real knife in the heart at parts. Thank you! (A) Glad you like~**

**Molly Grace 16: (B) I hope we can keep your interest! (A) What she said!**

**Shirani-Chan: (B)We love long reviews! Let me just say that first. Secondly, thanks for deciding to read the story, and LIKING IT! Anjelle will tell you that the language barrier isn't hard to write at all but sometimes I find it hard. The names, oh man….she came up with Atche and I came up with Luhfi, but there was a lot of going back and forth. (A) Long reviews are great! I don't find the language barrier hard. Maybe that's just me. Yeah, the names were tough. I've fallen in love with them though XD**

**xXMissAmeXx: (B) HA! Someone else who's a mythology nerd appreciates my work! I'm the one who usually looks up the mythos, but we both think up the roles or what the particular character needs to be able to do. So, joint effort, really. I feel kind of evil saying 'it makes my day to hear you say that' about the emotions, but it does, you know? (A) I'll stay out of this since I'm not a big mythology buff XD And yes, we're happy people reacted as we hoped :)**

**dragonfire1237: (B) Thank you! (A) We will!**

**caring16: (B) Honestly finding time we both can write together is sometimes harder than others, but the writing part isn't that hard. It's fun. (A) It's a LOT of fun XD**

**sairakanzaki: (B) I predict more tears. Thanks for the love! (A) Lots more tears. We warned you. But we'll give you a break for now.**

**shinXlullaby: (B) All this praise is going to make me blush. (A) You flatter us~**

**Aerle: (B) I keep telling her that, but she doesn't listen to me! I'll leave the rest to Anjelle. (A) If I'm not worried about this story I'm worrying about my others, sooo… :P I WILL WORRY. To be honest, we didn't really intend for you guys to know about what Izo was yet. Though Bedlam put it down, I only intended for 'Genbu' to be a hint. But, well, we needed to put it in the notes, so… You'll find out at a later date~ We has plans XD**

**Rheassa: (B) Total case of- nah, we're already working on 5 and 6. (A) We're ½ through 4 XD**

**Guest: (B) Thank you! (A) Here you go!**

**key46812: (B) Ligi gets no love, why is that? Thanks! Anjelle goes back after we write it all out and tightens it up, so I think the more we go on the harder it will be to tell as we get used to each other's style and with her excellent editing skills. We're going to get into where the mythos live in more detail, but for now, another realm. (A) Blame her for Ligi. Beddy, stahp, you're making me blush XD**

**alynawatlovers: (B) For plot! We didn't want to! (A) Because reasons! And it's Beddy's fault!**

**WeevilOne: (B) Admit it, if you met them, you'd like Luhfi and Atche. And no dog for you until you move, young lady! (A) Dogs DO need homes...**

**silent canary: (B)Have I mentioned I love your long thought out reviews? Because I do. Chapter 2 was one of those chapters that was hard to write because I had never had to write that kind of abuse and torment to young children who didn't understand before...hitting the right notes was tough. You seem to be one of the few people who noticed that Ligi's actions were completely normal for a mythos, too. Even if you hate him for it…. Gah, your review is just too amazing for words. (A) Sorry, I'm retyping my replies so I'm keeping this short T_T But thanks so much for the awesome review. Sadly I think you're the only person who realized that what Ligi did is perfectly normal in their society. The only ones who had a problem with it were Marco and Thatch.**

**hantoMNiGHT321: (B) Thank you very much! And again with the hating on Ligi. We did a good job on him…. (A) Blame her. I had nothing to do with him. Well, they'll at least try to get their trust. We'll see how it goes, though.**

**WhoaD: (B) WOOT you read Burning Rubber, too! Wait, hold on...back to this one. Thank you very much for the praise! We have lots of plans! (A) Stop rubbing in that they're from your fanbase :P Thanks! And yes, we have a lot of plans and all of your questions will be answered! Eventually.**

**onegirl92: (B) It'll get better… (A) Eventually.**

**Blueh: (B) That's all her fault. Just saying. We have plans for Izo. *grins* (A) Oi, YOU'RE the one who first suggested it. I just changed it and wrote it. Oh yes, Izo will be a LOT of fun muahaha.**

**MarzBarz: (B) I think it says something about fanfiction writers/readers that we love it when our hearts break a little. Marco really messed up, huh? But at least he's trying! Gotta love Thatch. (A) I think it's because we want to see things get better. And if they don't get better, it leaves an impact. So we're drawn to them.**

**Bard of Chaos: (B)At least I warned you! I agree, fanfiction makes us all a bit warped. (A) Fanfiction brings out the worst in us XD**

**TheAnalei: (B) Again, Ligi is an OC. We wanted you to come into this hating him for what he did, not for preconceived notions based off the One Piece character. Long reviews are great, we like those. The boys are cute, aren't they? And don't worry, Marco and Thatch are determined to help them! Even if they don't understand most of what they're saying at all. (A) Ligi has been eaten. Fear not. The boys are adorable. And they're going to recover. Hopefully.**

**Justa Little Puppy: (B) I refute any blame for you not doing your chores last time or this time before church. Ligi is a Black Dog, though, so it's ok! You can still like dogs! I do! (I feel like we made someone hated as much as Blackbeard…) (A) Lol I think we caused an identity crisis XD**

**Aille: (B) You'll have to wait and see for Whitebeard. Ligi seemed to have that effect on a lot of our readers for some reason. Can't imagine why… (A) Love the sarcasm XD**

**Nugni: (B) We don't already have a fangirl? I'm saddened by this. Social lives are overrated by the way. I will wisely keep my mouth shut on everything because Anj will kill me. (A) I will. She always reveals too much if I don't keep an eye on her. For now I'll just say wait and see :P**

**cirmos98: (B) If we were, we wouldn't tell you. XD Yeah we didn't notice at first how long it was until it got close to posting time. Then it was like WTF?! (A) It was a surprise to see how giant it was XD**

**Suki Miko: (B)Ah fangirling. I do that at work. My coworkers have given up on me I think. It's going to be a long road for Thatch and Marco. Honestly, writing this story has made me love those two more. (A) Zoro and Kuina were mentioned but for now they'll remain characters that may or may not appear later in the story :P**

**Nimphy-Ryuu-chan: (B) I think deep down we all like our characters to suffer a bit. (A) Truer words have never been spoken.**

**Frostheart D. Blaize: (B)Oyaji was listed. He's a Bochica. And as for the four symbols, you'll just have to wait and see….? (A) They ARE part of the symbols, but I can't say there'll be an azure dragon, sorry XD**

**Suki Miko: (B) I love 100days! There needs to be more good Thatch stories out there. Thatch is awesome. (A) Thatch needs more love. 'Tis true. And I also love that fic XD**

**samettikettu: (B) Success! We made you feel for humans! Thatch is awesome, isn't he? He and Marco are a great pair. Ok, That scene, that was all your Husbando. I had nothing to do with it. (A) Oi, again with blaming me. You first mentioned the neck snapping! I'll admit the cannibalism among mythos was all me, though.**

**uchiha-sakura193: (B) It's necessary for plot! (A) What she said.**

**Sully-van: (B) Stunned is good, right? This chapter was supposed to be an emotional sucker-punch, and I think it worked. (A) Yes, stunned is good.**

**Fruitstogether: (B) Nope, it wasn't from the hunger games. (A) As far as I can remember, there are no species in this fic so far that become something else when they age.**

**Thanks so much for the favs, follows, and reviews! We hope you enjoyed!**

**Adieu~**

***quote by Dante Alighieri**


	4. Fostered Hope of a False Reality

**Chapter Title: Worry Tends to Foster Hope of a False Reality**

**Bedlam: Bedlam here! Sorry it's been a while, we've both been busy with life stuff. I want to thank you all for the fantastic reviews! I really feel the love. This chapter is a bit...different. It's a transition, but I hope you still enjoy it, since it was important and still enjoyable to write. I don't really have anything else to say beyond that other than to express my amusement that everyone seemed happy Ligi got eaten. Remind me to never piss any of you off!**

**Anjelle: I will admit, the delay was my fault. Beddy was finished her part but I had... some issues to work through. And then I updated my 11 other stories OTL But here we are with chapter 4! And just like Bedlam said, thank you SO much for your support! We love reading the reviews, they're really motivating especially after the long break we took! And a lot of you were wondering about how to pronounce Atche and Luhfi... Honestly, I say go with whatever you like. I, personally, pronounce them Ah-chey and Luh-fee but if you don't like that, imagine them however you wish!**

* * *

><p>What terrified Atche most was not being able to see. He'd spent so many long, endless hours in the darkness of that room, sound and touch the only reminders that his brother was there with him—that he wasn't alone. But sometimes that wasn't enough. Sometimes being able to feel the warmth of Luhfi's body against his, hearing his laboured breaths against the constriction of the collar, wasn't enough to ease his nerves.<p>

Opening his eyes to that same darkness terrified him. He felt anxiety set in as he swerved his head around, searching for even the smallest light source. It was a fruitless effort; there was nothing but cold, uncaring blackness. He took a shivering breath.

_Stay calm. Stay calm. You're going to be fine. You're going to—_

"…A-Atche?"

The boy's eyes widened. He looked around, pointlessly searching through the darkness for his baby brother. He could hear his shaky, shivering breaths. They were a constant reminder of the night before, that monster looming over them with a heartless grin.

"I-I'm scared. Atche…?"

His mind flashed to that last night, their keeper's patience running thin. He remembered being lifted by clawed hands, Luhfi pulling blindly at his leg in the darkness of the room as he was met with deep red eyes. Terrifying eyes. _Hateful _eyes.

Atche's breath quickened, his body going cold as he recalled that hand around his neck, just beneath the collar, squeezing tighter and tighter before sending him thrashing towards the wall, turning to his brother _and Luhfi SCREAMED—_

* * *

><p>Thatch yawned, leading Marco to sigh. "You're still tired yoi?"<p>

The tiger gave him an incredulous look. "Do you_ know_ how much cats sleep?"

"I'm aware. It shocks me every time." The phoenix had been up all night watching the boys, leaving them little more than an hour ago in response to Thatch's arrival. Ace had woken briefly for a snack and they stayed with him until he fell asleep again, taking their leave as soon as his breaths evened out. They'd spent the last while shooting ideas back and forth about how, exactly, they were going to get two traumatised hatchlings onto a flying carriage to transport them to the main compound. So far every plan conjured ended in failure. They agreed that anything they'd do would result in the boys running away from them or the mythos once more losing the sliver of trust they'd gained. It was a depressing line of thought, more so when Marco realised that it was only a matter of time before Izo came, wondering what was taking them so long.

"It could be worse, you know," Thatch stated, ever the optimist. "The cubs are siblings, so at least they've had each other to lean on. It would have been a lot worse alone—"

The blond blinked, raising a hand to halt his friend's words. "…They're brothers?"

The redhead rolled his eyes as if to say 'you did not just ask that' before nodding. When he simply stared in reply he heard the other sigh. "Didn't you notice the family markers? They have the same colouring, bird-brain. And the same scent. What, did you think they were a bonded pair?" Continued silence had the tiger dropping his head into his palm. "I can't believe you."

In his defense, a lot had happened. He didn't have time to concentrate on trivial matters like that, his mind a clutter of worry and fear, all centering around the way their bodies trembled when he reached out to them. He'd noticed well enough that they were kin, but… that was about as far as his investigation went on that first day. Still, as he sat there across from his own brother, that short conversation put things into perspective. They didn't know much of anything about the humans, did they? Only hours earlier had they learned their names…

How old were they? Where were their parents? How had they come to be on that ship, shackled and bound by their own kind? Thinking about it had his stomach fluttering in unease, remembering just what it was about humans that sickened him. Mythos wouldn't do that. They wouldn't turn on their young like that, wouldn't treat them like lesser beings. Maybe that was why he couldn't hate those boys, even from the start: they were a product of the humans' savage ways. It made him sick.

"Marco, buddy," Thatch called, waiting for blue eyes to look up from the table. Having the bird's attention, he huffed and slumped back into his seat. "It's been getting to you, huh?"

"What?"

"Being around them—the humans," he added.

Marco was about to reject his claim when he looked back down at his hand, realising that his fist was clenched, fingers morphed into talons. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply to settle his nerves as he felt the familiar sting of his mortal form returning. Perhaps the cat was right; he was exhausted, dealing with them for only a few hours on his own. And they were so different, so subdued, compared to before. If they managed to_ fix _them, to correct what Ligi did… would he be able to handle it?

He didn't voice his worries. "I'm fine."

"Sure you are." The sarcasm in his voice was almost nauseating. Then he sighed, concern entering his gaze. "Have you eaten?"

"I'm not hungry yoi," he stated, averting his eyes.

"You need to eat, featherhead. You're irritable when you're hungry."

"I'm not—"

"Yeah, yeah," Thatch interrupted as he stood from his seat, clearly not believing the blond. Marco couldn't blame him; Thatch always knew just what he was thinking. "Look, I'll make you some—"

A scream, raw and loud and_ desperate_, erased his words.

Not a breath passed before they were at the door to the humans' room, sliding it open with enough force to splinter the wood around their fingers. Adrenaline rushed through Marco's veins as his eyes searched the room, spotting no danger, no abnormalities. The light from the doorway stretched across the floor, its end illuminating the ankles of two small, sobbing forms huddled together. He stared with wide eyes as Thatch headed over, swallowing the bile threatening to rise from his throat. There was nothing wrong, so_ why did Ace scream_?

The phoenix opened his mouth to say something but found himself choking back his words as the boys backed away from the tiger, tears streaming down their faces as they shook their heads.

"Shhh, it's okay," Thatch purred, his voice calm and soothing as he held out a hand towards the boys. "We're not going to hurt you. You're safe."

His words seemed to do nothing for them, and the blond had a sneaking suspicion it wasn't just because they didn't understand him. He bit his lip. Even before they weren't like that—openly crying, terrified of their every move. "…What's wrong with them yoi?"

The redhead cursed under his breath as their crying grew louder and more frantic, reluctantly pulling back his outstretched hand. "Night terrors," he offered, "or at the very least, flashbacks."

Flashbacks—flashbacks to Ligi. So then…

"They're not seeing us."

"They're seeing him," Thatch continued with a nod, lifting himself from the floor to feel around for a candle.

Marco almost released his flames instinctively but held back, knowing they didn't need to see that. His fist tightened, nails digging into his palm as the knowledge that even in death that mutt was hurting them filled his mind. But slowly he relaxed and crouched low as he heard sounds of triumph off to the side where he could only assume his companion found what he was looking for.

_Deep breath._

"Ace, Luffy," he called, getting no response. The hatchlings had backed themselves into the wall yet even still they tried to push further, mumbling human words he had yet to learn, voices and bodies trembling worse than when they saw his other form. They were terrified of him and he hated it.

To them, he was no different from the monsters in their nightmares.

_Deep breath. In, out. Breathe. You just have to—_

_Wait. _Those names, Ace and Luffy… The humans had no connection to them yet, did they? If Thatch was the one who named them, then…

He spoke again as the first candle was lit, not yet enough to illuminate the faces of the mythos. "Atche," he tried, voice low and calm, "Luhfi."

The brothers jumped slightly as they heard their names, Thatch continuing to light the candles one after another, illuminating Marco's figure just enough for the humans to see. Their eyes widened further.

Alright, good, the phoenix had their attention. They were seeing him. But where should he go from there? How was he to comfort them? His mind thought back to earlier in the night to the words the cat had taught him, trying to find one that he could use. It wasn't long before he had one, though with adrenaline rapidly fading from his body it was hard to recall the pronunciation of it. Swallowing, he reached out his hand just as he saw Thatch do earlier. "_Safe,_ yoi." Their eyes began watering again. "Atche and Luhfi _safe._"

Marco saw Ace's lip quiver first but had no time to react as Luffy lunged at him, wrapping his arms tightly around the phoenix's waist. He tensed at the action, muscles clenched instinctively as the boy cried into his shirt but didn't move, forced himself still, left speechless when the elder joined his brother. Ace, who refused to touch him throughout the day, who was reluctant to even go _near _him, was clinging desperately to him like a lifeline, fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

When the tiger lowered himself beside them, Marco's frozen form turned to him, conveying all his turmoil through his eyes. What was he supposed to do now? But his only answer was a nudge and he cautiously lowered his hands to their backs. They flinched, of course, but beyond that neither pulled away, the fabric of his clothes bunched in their tiny hands.

Thatch breathed a sigh of relief. "Glad that's over," he stated, slapping his hand against the blond's shoulder. "Good job there, buddy."

The phoenix felt himself slump, his back curving slightly as the tension left his body. "What did I do yoi?" Naturally the redhead gave him an incredulous look, tilting his head. "I didn't do anything, so why…"

Suddenly what he was asking clicked. "You got through to them."

"_How_ though?"

"Don't question it; just be happy it worked."

He snorted. _Humans._ He would never understand them. How could one word have them reaching for him so desperately? How did one broken, poor excuse for a sentence in their language snap them away from whatever they were seeing?

"_Don't… Please don't leave_," Ace hiccupped, burying his face in the fabric.

"_I-is the bad man coming back? I-I don't want… He's scary._"

Grey eyes and freckled cheeks turned his way, pleading with him for something he didn't understand. "_P-please stay. I'm scared._"

Luffy joined the elder in staring at Marco who turned to Thatch with questioning eyes. The tiger shook his head. "Sorry, I couldn't catch most of it," he admitted reluctantly. "They're slurring their words, so I don't think they're fully awake right now."

Looking back to the boys, blue met grey and Ace's eyes widened a second, something akin to realisation flashing across his face and he lowered his gaze to the bird's chest. "_Stay_?" he asked, though it was a word Marco hadn't learned. "_Stay here?_"

Luffy looked at his brother briefly before settling his eyes on that same spot in the middle of the blond's chest, refusing to go higher. He hated how they tried to not look directly at him—no doubt a result of Ligi's 'training'. "_S-stay?_"

"Marco…" He turned towards the sound of his name, barely able to pull his attention from the small forms attached to him. "Are they bothering you?"

"Hm?" He barely caught the words, his mind drifting elsewhere. The way they grabbed at him was unsettling, he had to admit. Being so close to humans after so long, it was hard not to pull back. But he resisted. He allowed them their comfort, as poor as it was. "I can handle it yoi." What would happen to them if he didn't—if he shoved them away coldly when they sought comfort?

"Good!" Thatch exclaimed, startling the boys as he once more clapped Marco on the shoulder. "Because that word they just used, that's their word for 'stay'."

He blinked. So that was it. Looking down at the expectant pairs of eyes glossy with tears, still locked on his chest, he nodded. _"Stay."_

They clung to him closer, their tears starting up again as they settled themselves against the one they feared hours earlier. Somehow Marco knew that, come morning, they wouldn't be so attached.

_It's amazing the power fear holds over you._

* * *

><p>The boys were finally asleep. That relieved the mythos, Marco especially, as he was finally able to get away from their touch. They each gathered one hatchling into their arms, laying them out carefully on the bed of pillows and blankets they were lying on before. The bird was sure to locate his old blanket, wrapping it securely over them. He was happy to note Ace latched onto it immediately.<p>

"You alright, Marc?" Thatch questioned for the umpteenth time, leading him to roll his eyes.

"Fine," he assured, "I'm fine."

"You look tense." The blond sighed, having to agree. He _felt_ tense. "If it gets to be too much, I can take over. Don't stress yourself."

The faintest of smiles found its way to his lips. He could appreciate the tiger's concern, and even more his support. "Too much yoi? Speaking from experience?"

"W-well…"

Having finished tucking them in, he stood and took a seat away from the humans, allowing his legs to stretch out in front of him, happy that, for the moment, he didn't have to worry about the children seeing them. The way he sat when they hatchlings were laying on him was awkward and uncomfortable, leading to cringe-worthy cramps in both of his knees. "I haven't eaten them. Would you call that progress?"

The redhead huffed, clearly understanding what the phoenix was implying. "That was _one_ time." He gave him _the look_. "…In recent memory—LOOK, forget that, I wanna figure out what triggered their attack."

Marco glanced at the candles, watching as one of the flames flickered in the darkness. He recalled the day before, the room that reeked of waste with chilled air and walls that wept. "The darkness," he whispered.

Dark eyes settled on him carefully, jaw clenched. "…Where did you say he kept him?"

"I didn't."

"Then tell me now. You know—I _know_ you know."

His mind was still there in that filthy room, seeing a burlap sack with a wet corner that smelled of ammonia. His instincts told him that room would never be truly clean again. "South hall. The wine closet."

Thatch sputtered, "The _wine closet_?" Immediately he slapped his hands over his mouth, glancing back to the young to make certain that he didn't wake them with his unintended outburst. "There's no light in there, Marco! Gods, how—no _wonder_ they—argh, just… You _sure _there's nothing left of him? What I wouldn't give…"

"Sorry, yoi. Nothing past some waste."

"Even that sounds appetizing," he grumbled, settling himself next to the humans.

Marco noticed the way the tiger's eyes softened when he looked at them. If other mythos saw the great Byakko looking so gently at a pair of humans, what would they think? And if they knew Suzaku, out of all four Saint Beasts, attained human pets, how would they react? At some point he stopped caring, but still he wondered.

"…If it gets to be too much, I'll take them. I wouldn't mind."

The phoenix closed his eyes. "I know."

But they were his responsibility. He was at fault, and he would make things right.

* * *

><p>"Hungry! Hungry! <em>Atche, I'm hungry."<em>

_"Me, too._" Two sets of eyes stared at him intently, burning a hole into the book he was striving to read. "_He knows_,_ Luhfi._"

Marco refused to look up, even if he'd given up reading completely at that point. The book was a good shield, though. It helped him pretend that they were glaring at it, not that they wouldn't—_couldn't_ meet his eyes, even if it was only for a little bit. He knew the moment he looked up at them they'd both freeze in fear, eyes darting anywhere but his face before they'd settle. He wondered how Thatch managed to sit there with such a calm smile during every flinch, every hesitant step forward the hatchlings made, where even a passing shadow could have them shying away, shaking in fear. It hurt to watch, and once again he wondered if that was the _real_ reason behind the book—so he could pretend he didn't see. Turning the page, he felt more than saw both hatchlings tense and sighed, "Thatch is coming yoi. He said he was bringing a treat."

"_What's she saying?_"

"_For the last time, it's a boy, Lu. I don't know. I wish I did."_ Ace let out a sigh, ruffling his younger brother's hair before he went back to staring intently at the book.

Marco shifted uncomfortably and tried to explain, eyes glancing up at them for a second. He was pleased when they both just tensed for a moment but that was it. "You're just going to have to wait."

The sound of the door unlocking had them both diving into the pillow fort's depths before they had even registered that it was Thatch on the other side. The tiger's smile never dropped, but he'd known the other long enough to catch the tightness around the eyes, the flash of sympathy that was locked away behind the ever-present grin. "Hey there, Marco! How are our favorite little human cubs doing?"

"Hungry, yoi."

"Yeah, kind of expected that." His friend hefted a clay jar and a simple bowl. "Brought them a nice treat for breakfast. Sorry it took so long; some idiot was in the cold pantry and moved my stuff around again."

"Oh? What is it?" Marco took the bowl and held it as Thatch opened the jar and shook out a variety of mixed berries until the bowl was full.

As he secured the jar he gestured for Marco to place the bowl of damp berries on the table. "Just fruit. Don't worry, I've seen humans eat all of these before, and I made sure they were still good. Might be a little over-ripe in some cases, but I think we've established that human cubs like sweets, too." Thatch glanced over at the mat where both of the little ones were staring at them intently but unwilling to move. "Ace, Luffy?" Both perked up and Marco felt his friend kick him under the table.

"Hungry, yes?"

"YES!" Luffy cheered, shooting from their protective circle of pillows, tugging on Ace as if to hurry the more reluctant hatchling along as they approached the table. It took a moment for both to get seated, the elder helping the smaller boy before settling himself. "_Atche, are those...?"_

Cautiously a hand reached out and picked a few berries out of the bowl, eyes darting up briefly to their faces in a silent check for approval. Neither mythos dared to move as Ace nibbled on one of the brightly coloured fruits before grinning. "_They are, Luhfi. All kinds, too!_" The bowl was pulled closer and both boys dug in.

"I think they like it." Thatch grinned at him.

"You're sure they're safe for them yoi?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it." Thatch leaned back. "Guess I need to try harder to get their names right, huh?" Thatch mused as they watched the two hatchlings share the bowl of berries between them. "I still can't believe you figured out how to pronounce them."

Marco shrugged, "They're not that hard."

"Says the bird. Really Marco, I'm impressed. You're going to have to help me so I don't keep screwing them up."

"Actually, I don't think we should use their old names often if we can avoid it." Marco held up a hand to forestall the protest he knew was coming, "I was thinking about what you said yesterday—how they were on that ship and how we can't return them. I don't want them to be trapped in the past, Thatch. The new names will help give them a fresh start. "

The way the tiger looked at him said he understood completely what he meant. After a moment his brother spoke, "I see. Well, if you think it's for the best then we'll stick with their new names. But I still want you to teach me how to say their _old_ ones. Just in case, alright?" After a while he spoke again, "So, any new ideas on how to get them to the main compound?"

"No. You?"

"How do you feel about the window?"

"We are not backing up the carriage to the window yoi. Too risky, they could get hurt," he pointed out, watching them eat.

"We still need to move them either today or tomorrow at the latest. You know we're behind schedule as it is; the old man is probably wondering what's up. Not to mention Izo. You know how that guy gets."

Marco raised a lazy eyebrow, "Speaking of, what did you do to piss him off anyway?"

"I have no clue!" Thatch whined dramatically, flopping to the table. "He wasn't mad at me a few weeks ago!" Brownish eyes looked up at him pleadingly, "Help?"

"Leave me out of it yoi."

"Hey! I'm helping you out, brother."

He did have a point. "Maybe Izo will take pity on you. Besides, I think I'm going to have my hands full for a while." He frowned, catching sight of the scabs around Ace's neck. They were starting to look puffy again, meaning it was time to re-apply the salve. The last thing either hatchling needed was for those horrible marks to get infected. They were already going to scar as it was. "When are you planning on changing their bandages yoi?"

"Hmm? Oh, not until tonight. If we've managed to get them into the main compound today, I may wait until tomorrow and bathe them first. They could probably use it." The cat sniffed the air and let out a small sneeze. "Definitely need it."

"I want to help."

"Nah, I told you, I got it." Thatch grinned, walking around the table and carefully applying the salve to both boys while they continued to gobble up the berries. His hands were steady and he paused each time they flinched away to let them settle before continuing, gaze gentle.

Marco chewed the inside of his lip, watching as his friend finished up and sat once more. He knew that the other was just trying to look out for him, and he appreciated it, he really did. The phoenix had to know the extent of the damage his carelessness had caused, though. Because despite what Thatch said, every hour of fear and starvation, every bruise and cut was his fault. It was _his fault_ that those noisy little hatchlings had been so cruelly treated for a week.

The little one, Luffy, was staring at Thatch's hand. It took Marco a moment to realize that the boy had been doing so for the last minute without even blinking, his expression frighteningly vacant. Hesitantly he reached out, knowing that they were not supposed to be making any sudden movements, but at the same time he was worried. What if the hatchling was having some sort of fit, or worse, a flashback? As his fingers brushed the soft fabric of the shirt, it seemed to break whatever trance Luffy had been under and the boy flinched away reflexively. That, he had expected. He had not expected the reaction to be so violent that the child would actually slide off the side of his chair onto the floor where he sat staring up at him with shocked, wide brown eyes.

"Sorry! Sorry yoi! I didn't mean to startle you, Luffy." He waited, braced for the inevitable growl from Ace, warning him off his brother as best he could. Instead the boy _laughed_. Marco was taken aback; even before, on that first day, he'd never heard the elder hatchling sound so _happy_. He was shocked as he looked to the youngling who was still calmly eating the berries, grinning down at his sibling who had started to giggle as well. "Ace?"

Grey eyes met his, and he knew something was wrong; he didn't even have to see how blown they were, or how the youth couldn't quite focus. _Ace was looking him in the eye_. "Yes?" The boy grinned wide, offering him a slightly squashed berry. "_Want one? They're reeeeaaaaalllly goood, Mister-lady-bird-guy._" He giggled.

"Thatch. Something is wrong."

His friend leaned forward, taking the berry from the lax hand. "I've noticed."

"Are they sick?" Luffy giggled as Marco gently picked him up and placed him back on the chair. He had to stop the little one from sliding right off again, though. "They don't _feel_ warm. Humans get warm when they're sick, right?"

"I don't think they're sick." Thatch sniffed the berry.

"Then what's wrong with them yoi? They were fine a little while ago!"

Brows furrowed, the cat turned his attention to the half-empty bowl. "I think… I think maybe it's the berries."

"I thought you said they were safe! You said humans eat them all the time yoi!" he hissed, trying to keep his voice lowered so as not to frighten the two humans.

_"Noooo! I want more!_" Luffy whined, clambering onto the table as Thatch picked up the bowl.

"No. Luffy, no." He held the bowl out of reach, standing and moving away as Ace joined his brother in begging. "I swear to you I've seen humans down them by the fist-full and never act this way before, Marco."

"Then what's wrong?"

"I think it's because they're so tiny maybe? They're not sick, though." Popping one in his mouth he offered a sheepish laugh, "Oops."

Marco turned to glare at his friend, pulling both boys off the table before they could fall off the end and setting them on the floor. "What do you mean, 'oops'?"

"Well, you know those fruity little desserts Izo likes?" Thatch began, quickly pouring the rest of the bowl back into the clay jar.

It took him a moment to figure out what he was talking about. "The tarts that you claim taste like summer?" They were actually very good; everyone was fond of them and to this day the cat had never said how he'd made the fresh fruit so tangy. All Marco knew was it had to do with a blend of herbs Thatch soaked the berries in. He suddenly had a sinking feeling as Luffy tried to stand and tripped over nothing. "What about them?"

"Well… I might have accidently grabbed the fruit for those instead."

"You got them high. Off of berries. Is that even possible?" The herbs he used never affected mythos, but honestly Marco would have been surprised if they were overwhelming to humans; those creatures didn't seem to hold up well to many mythos delicacies.

"Maybe?" Thatch held up his hands, "In my defense, someone _was_ in the cold-room, and they _did_ move everything! That's _not_ my fault. It _is_ my fault that I didn't check to see if I grabbed the berries I've been prepping, though…"

"Why yoi?"

"Because Izo's mad at me and I don't know why!" Thatch whined. "I figured I'd try to smooth things over, alright? So I split the berries I got in town last week into two batches… and look, I'm sorry, alright? But look at the plus side."

His eyes narrowed dangerously, "_What_ plus side?"

"Well, they're very agreeable right now, right?"

"Because they were _drugged._"

Thatch ignored his interruption. "Bet we could get them to the carriage _and_ move them before they sober up."

He thought about it. Honestly, he wasn't comfortable with it, but looking at the two happily giggling messes he realized what Thatch was saying and found himself reluctantly agreeing that it might be their best chance. Quickly he strode over to the makeshift den the hatchlings had made and located his old blanket, remembering how fond Ace seemed to be of it. "Fine. But if they throw up on me yoi…"

"They're not _that_ high… probably."

* * *

><p>"<em>Hey lady,<em>" Marco looked down at Luffy who was half hanging off his arm, "_do you poop?_"

"_Lu… You-you don't ask questions like that!_" Ace hiccupped, "_Of COURSE he poops! Big flaming piles of_—"

"Oops, wrong way, cub." Thatch's hand shot out and he caught the back of Ace's shirt before the child could wander off into the east wing. The boy just looked up at him with a wide, dopey smile.

"This is taking forever yoi." He sighed as Luffy _finally _let go of his arm in favor of running around them in circles. He suppressed the urge to rub the wrist the hatchling had clung to.

His friend barely glanced at him, eyes fixed on the two young humans who were now _both_ chasing each other in some nameless game. "Well, did you expect it to be easy? They're tiny, they're hurt, and they're in complete la-la land right now. The only way we're going to get _anywhere_ fast is if we carry them, you know."

"It's like herding ferrets," he pointed out as the two ran figure-eights around them before taking off down the hall as fast as their little human legs could carry them. "Worse, actually."

"It's not _that_ bad, trust me." Thatch grinned at him. "At least they come when you call them, right, Luffy, Ace?" Both boys perked up and came charging back, running up to the man. "Hard part is going to be outside, waiting for the carriage."

Luffy tugged on the cat's white pants excitedly, "Thatch! _Did'ya see, did'ya see? I almost caught Atche!"_

_"Bet you can't do it again!"_

"What do you mean?"

"_Ready-set-go!"_ The little one took off running down the hall, half stumbling, Ace on his heels.

"Well, it's not like it's ready to go, is it?" His friend shrugged, face pulling tight. "Think about it, Marc: we're going to be standing out there with the two cubs and you know how servants are. They're going to show up."

"They wouldn't _dare_," he felt his temper flare at the thought. "You and I both made it clear—"

"That they were not allowed in the same _wing_. Outside?" The little ones raced past them again, giggling as they overshot. "We might be better off carrying them. I honestly can't tell you how they're going to react to seeing all those mythos, Marco."

"I—Thatch, I don't think I can," he admitted shamefully. He wanted to help them, he really did, but even letting the little one hang off his arm tested his limits. He _knew_ they were no threat to him, but that didn't mean he was in any way comfortable with being close to them like that, especially for the extended period they'd be required to hold them as the carriage readied. Watching the young humans once more trot a little ways ahead, he again questioned what he was even doing.

_"Atche! Carry me!_" Luffy's voice rang out with joy as the child launched himself at the other's back. Marco tensed instantly even as Thatch already sprang into action before Ace's cry of pain. _Of course he would; he's seen what Ligi did to them_. The boy's knees buckled instantly and he dropped, landing on his hands and knees, the younger hatchling circling him worriedly as he made a high-pitched keening noise that tore at Marco's heart. It reminded him too strongly of a wounded animal, not the hatchling that had been laughing just seconds before. _"Sorry! Sorrysorrysorry! I forgot! I'm sorry!"_

_"It's alright."_ Ace muttered something, pulling Luffy close with shaking arms. "_It'z ok. Doesn't hurt…"_

Marco approached cautiously. Thatch was already running gentle hands along the human's back and sides while he just sat there. "Thatch?"

"It's fine. I don't think it made anything worse." Somehow that was a cold comfort, given the sound. It must have shown on his face, because his friend offered him a shaky smile. "Honest. I don't think he even felt it, really. He's too..." he made a vague gesture with his hand, indicating the glassy-eyed look both humans still had.

"Then why'd he cry?"

Thatch tapped his own head, "Didn't feel it _here_, I should say." He sighed and picked up the smaller of the two, shifting him so he rode on one hip. "His back sure felt it, though. Hate to say it bird, but looks like we're stuck carrying them anyway. I don't think he's up for more walking. Hand him to me?"

He looked down at the boy who was watching them with mild curiosity, tears still running down his face and had to agree with Thatch's assessment. Once again he felt a rush of gratitude towards the tiger who hadn't even asked if he'd carry one and promised he'd try to do better. He owed it to the hatchlings and to Thatch. Slowly and gently so as not to startle the child, he lifted him from under the armpits. The problem was if he handed him off like that, the hatchling's already abused back would be the only thing Thatch could reach, so he went to turn the boy, bringing him close to his body as he did so. Two thin arms instantly latched around his neck and he froze. "Thatch?" He gave a gentle tug, but the arms only tightened their hold. "He won't let go yoi."

"I can see that. Ace?" He got a face full of hair as the boy turned to look at his friend. "Come here?"

"_You look short from here._" The boy settled, making himself comfortable as his legs hooked around Marco's hips.

"I think you might be stuck with him for a while. Sorry."

Reminding himself he'd just promised to try to do better, he shifted Ace around until he was riding against his hip. "It's fine."

"No, really, I'm sorry."

"Let's just make this fast."

"_You know_—_Lu's right. This is fun. I feel… tall._" A hand freed itself and Marco found himself being poked in the cheek, Ace's grey eyes staring intently at him. "_I like being tall._" His eyes traced upwards towards the top of Marco's head. "_How is your hair yellow?"_

Marco sighed, trying to repress the shudder that went through his body as the hatchling combed his hair with tiny fingers, making small noises of wonder as he walked quickly down the hall. He could just hope that the carriage would not take that long to get ready, but with the way his day was shaping up it wasn't looking good. At least Thatch had been right so far about the little ones being easier to handle like this, though he was sure there were going to be repercussions from it. He just hoped they wouldn't stop eating. It would crush the tiger if that happened.

Ace flinched slightly when they stepped out into the bright light of the courtyard, burying his face into the crook of Marco's neck with a slight whimper. "Too bright yoi?" Grey eyes blinked up at him before the boy smiled, uncomprehending in both the language and his intoxication.

"Master Suzaku, Master Byakko, the carriage will be ready shortly. If it would please you to wait in the gazebo, my lords, I will watch after your... _pets._" A servant reached out to take Luffy from Thatch's arms.

The tiger's lips drew back in a silent snarl as the hatchling whined, clutching tighter to his loose tunic with an air of desperation as his eyes rolled. "Don't you_ dare_ touch them."

"Milord, wouldn't you be more comfortable if you didn't have to carry that thing, though?"

"Leave us. Do not bother us again with your worthless drivel until the carriage is ready," Marco said, blue eyes coldly looking down at the man who backed away quickly, muttering apologies. Ace had tensed in his arms during the exchange, clinging to him like a lifeline. He wondered if it was because he had met the servant during that week, or if it was because he was a stranger. The bird didn't know which one would be worse. "You're alright, Ace."

The hatchling flinched, "Yes?" He could _feel_ the sob the boy swallowed. Small hands fisted in his robes, knuckles white as the small frame pressed closer into his chest. "_You're not going to leave us again, are you? Please don't! I-I can't—please! We'll be good this time!"_

"_Uh-huh! We'll be extra good! I promise! I don't want to go back to the dog-monster-man, please don't make us..."_ Luffy sniffled, looking around with wide, frightened eyes at the staff that had started to gather.

Ace began to shake. Silent shuddering wracked his small frame as his eyes darted around the quickly-filling courtyard. A strangled whimper died on his lips as his body sagged in defeat and Marco once more felt enraged at what had been done to so thoroughly break such a spirited hatchling. He felt his body shift against his will, responding to the emotion.

"Remember the cubs," Thatch bit out, eyes on the crowd as well. His friend was right, of course; he didn't need to make this worse for them.

So he held his tongue and tried to calm down in an attempt to stop and reverse the transformation. He didn't notice at first that his elongated claws were poking Ace until the child turned to look, tilting his head before starting to play with them.

_"Nice and sharp. Like a knife. We could... we could make sandwiches with them! That would be awesome! Right? Because I'm starving."_

"I'm sorry yoi. Did I hurt you?"

Luffy stretched across Thatch, nearly falling out of the man's arms as he tried to get a look at Marco's hands as well. He grinned, "_Oh yeah, Mister Lady is a bird. If we make a sandwich he can have the bread! Should we feed him crumbs? Mama fed the birds crumbs. Except the crows. She yelled at the crows. I don't like crows. Hey Atche, he's not a crow is he? Because I don't like them. But I like Mister Lady-guy. But not crows. Because Mama didn't. You think he likes crows? Hey Lady-bird, do YOU like crows?"_

"What are they talking about?"

Thatch just shrugged helplessly. "Whatever it is, at least it's gotten their minds off our audience, right?"

"Small favor," he grumbled in reply, narrowing his eyes in annoyance at the staff as he counted the seconds. He wasn't planning on coming back to this compound anytime soon, and if he had his way, the little ones would _never_ have to come back here.

"Sirs?" It was that infernal servant from before. Wisely he chose not to approach, instead standing midway between where they waited and where the carriage was. "Your carriage is ready. If you need any assistance?"

"That will be all from you." Thatch's smile was cold, predatory, as he glided past the servant and up the two steps into the semi-privacy of the carriage, Luffy held tightly in his arms. Marco was just a step behind him, barely sparing the stunned servant a glance as the man shut the door, his own face a mask of cool disinterest.

He settled his charge down on the cushioned bench across from where he and Thatch sat, next to where Luffy already sat fiddling with the window. "Please tell me you locked that yoi."

"And risk them falling out? Of course I did," came the slightly snappish reply. "Sorry."

"It's alright." The cabin was tense as the two mythos watched the children suddenly notice the crowd still gathered in the courtyard. Both hatchlings ducked down low on the bench, plastering themselves against the carriage walls as they huddled together. When the carriage rocked, finally rising off the ground, both he and Thatch let out equal sighs of relief.

He, at least, was ready for the squeals of delight from Luffy when he noticed they were airborne, chuckling at Thatch's discomfort. "Loud, isn't he? Were they like this the first time?"

"You have no idea yoi." He sighed as Luffy pointed something out to Ace.

"At least he's not scared." The carriage dipped slightly, hitting a patch of turbulence, earning twin shrieks, one of joy and one of alarm. Thatch winced, "They'll lose interest soon, right?"

Marco hid a smile, "Probably."

* * *

><p>"Ow ow ow!" Thatch almost whimpered as Luffy smiled brightly up at him, tugging his hair and forcing the fierce tiger to lower his head. "Marco, please tell me what he is doing."<p>

Marco finally gave it his full attention, looking away from where Ace was still trying to catch the rainbow on the seat. Taking in the sight of his friend being bullied by such a tiny human, he had to pause a moment to make sure he was seeing things right. It looked like the hatchling had gotten tired of kneeling in order to play with the man's long hair and was now slouched in his seat, but was unwilling to give up his new toy—which was what the great and mighty tiger had become: a child's plaything. "I think he's braiding your hair yoi."

"What?" He attempted to pull away and the young child made an unhappy sound, making him stop. "How does he even know how to do that?"

"You're asking me? I don't know the first thing about humans."

_"Luhfi, what are you—oh hey! Cool! Let me try!_"

Thatch chuckled good-naturedly as Ace threw himself on top of the man. "Gods no, not the other one, too!"

"_Nooooo! Go do Miss-Mister-Marco-Bird!"_

_"Good idea—it could help him pick up girls!"_ And suddenly he had a lap full of grinning Ace. "_I'm gonna make you pretty!_"

"Is he going to do what I think he is yoi?" There was a tug on his hair and Thatch laughed. "This is going to be a long trip."

"Would you ease up, bird? You know he'll lose interest soon enough."

Marco gritted his teeth, fighting the urge to shove the boy off his lap. It was too much, too fast. Here he thought the carriage ride was going to be the _easy_ part of moving them. He hadn't realized how much it was going to try his limits. "I'm trying."

"I know you are, and you're doing great, Marco. Just remember that they're not going to be like this later," the redhead reminded him, his smile slipping. Like he needed that when that morning they'd still been terrified of meeting their eyes, of accidental touches. He knew that come morning they'd be back to that at the very least. "Hey, they'll heal."

Ace slid off his lap, pouting. "_His hair's too… poofy. Why is your hair poofy? Poofy-head."_

"Physically, at least." The phoenix sighed, eyeing the bruises along the hatchling's neck and chin.

"WeCAN _fix_ this. Stay positive," Thatch snapped, and both boys turned to look at him. He offered them a smile, digging the blanket out from next to the window and handing it to them. "Play with this, Ace, Luffy. You have to stay positive, Marco."

That was easy to say. Every time he looked at them, though, he found himself questioning if they could, or if the little ones would even let them _try_.

* * *

><p>By the time the carriage began its descent, the boys' high was already starting to fade. They'd gotten quieter, albeit not returning to their timid nature quite yet. They'd complain every once in a while and, while Marco couldn't make out the words, he understood from body language that the aftereffects of eating the berries were starting to kick in. They clutched their heads every so often, clearly pained. He felt bad but, well, what could he do?<p>

Finally it landed and both mythos instinctively looked out the windows, surveying the courtyard. The bird was happy to see that not much of a crowd had gathered; he assumed that since the servants had all been informed of the two pets to join the household, the novelty of it wore off. They'd been told a week ago, after all.

Thatch left first, gathering a squirming Luffy in his arms. Seeing that, Marco felt obliged to lift Ace, wondering if his back still ached. The boy had regained enough conscious thought to back away from the touch, curling up against the side and back walls. He sighed, a little disheartened. As aggravating as they were when off in la-la land, he preferred it to the way the youngling was looking at him then. "You let me carry you before yoi. I'm just going to do that again. Is that alright, Ace?"

_"Dunno what you're saying,_" Ace muttered lowly, pulling his mouth taut. "_And you dunno what I'm saying. Where's Luhfi?_"

At the mention of the younger human's name Marco snapped his head towards the open door, looking out it to where his kin stood, rambling on to the little one who was pressing his hands against the tiger's face. Then he turned back to Ace. "Luffy's safe."

"Safe?"

He blinked, having not realised he used the human language until the boy replied, and nodded towards the door. Ace followed the motion, visibly relaxing when he saw what Marco had. The child tried to stand, his knees buckling as soon as he was to his feet, letting out a small whimper that made the blond's heart clench.

He bent low, reaching out towards the boy, waiting for a sign that he could pick him up.

_Deep breaths. Relax._

Eventually Ace raised his arms, gesturing to be carried. Marco complied, thankful that he was still a little out of it. He didn't want to know how much the hatchling would have resisted otherwise.

When the two exited the carriage Ace winced and hid his face in the crook of Marco's neck, away from the sun. The bird didn't notice, though, his eyes falling immediately to the fair-skinned man robed in pink who was approaching Thatch in a quick stride.

_Izo._

He found his way to Thatch's side before the turtle had gotten there, analyzing the very visible markings on the man's neck that peeked out from beneath the traditional regalia he was layered in. They climbed up along the sides of his head near his ears, fading out at eye level. He wondered if they would be a problem—if the boys would be alarmed when they saw them. Thatch's markings were easily hidden beneath his clothes—the man's habit of wearing long sleeves was helpful at times like those—and he'd been careful to wear long robes to hide his legs. He noticed before the way the humans' eyes always went immediately to the most visible mythos characteristics on whoever they met.

"Well, it's about time you two showed up," he stated as he stopped in front of them, his arms crossed over his chest. "You're late."

Thatch shifted the human to free one of his hands, rubbing his neck sheepishly. No doubt he was thinking back to how mad Izo was the last time they met. "We had a few complications." Luffy clutched tighter to the redhead, making him revise his statement, "A lot of complications."

Silver eyes narrowed skeptically on the tiger, "Oh?"

Instinctively Marco tightened his grip on Ace, holding him secure. The boy noticed, raising his head to look at Marco's face with glassy eyes.

_"Feels weird. No one's carried me since Mama. Not like this._"

That word, 'mama' or whatever it was… He'd heard it a few times since that morning. He'd have to ask Thatch what it meant at a more appropriate time—if he even knew.

"Poor kid," Izo murmured with a sigh, eyes sympathetic. When the two men stared at him he huffed, gesturing to the human. "Sounds like he's homesick."

The bird and cat shared a look before the latter gaped. "Wait, wait, wait," he started, startling Luffy with his slightly raised tone. "You _understood_ him?_ You _know a _human _language?"

"Well duh, I _like_ humans, moron." That was the first Marco heard of it. Glancing at Thatch he assumed the tiger thought the same, his expression disbelieving. "Don't look at me like that—I bet I know more about them than you do." The redhead was speechless. "Yeah, that's right."

Apparently he was still irked by whatever had him so upset with Thatch.

The turtle's eyes softened as he returned his attention to the younglings. "I know a language or two, but it's been centuries since I've needed to use them. I'm not sure how well I can speak it."

"Do you remember where it's from yoi?" Marco asked, hating himself for it. He'd resigned to care for them; dumping them in the human realms had been deemed foolish. Yet still he asked.

It seemed his words did little more than cause the tiger to turn thoughtful eyes his way, as Izo shook his head. "Unfortunately I don't."

"It's fine," he assured, shifting Ace's weight to his other hip. He glanced around at the staff scattered about, deciding it best to save their introduction for later, looking to Izo. "Could you instruct the servants on where to move the luggage and meet us in the inner courtyard? I want to get them settled in yoi."

He seemed skeptical at first but nodded, walking past them towards the carriage. "Anything for my favourite brother."

The bird didn't miss the pout the redhead wore beside him.

They walked through the corridors of the southern wing until reaching a familiar door. Thatch was the one to pick the area days before they left for the other compound; he said it would be good for keeping the younglings. The first room was deceptively small—a public sitting area that lead into a slightly larger, less formal area that could be used as either a private study or another sitting room. There was a door on either wall that led to what was to become the phoenix's new bedroom and the room for the nestlings. Large screens on the far wall opened to reveal the inner courtyard—an important feature, Thatch told him, as human nestlings had energy to spare. With how hurt they were, the blond wasn't sure they'd be using it all that soon. But fresh air was good, right?

They didn't spend long in the room, sparing few words to the boys about where they were, and hurried to set them both down on the slight porch overlooking the grassy plains of the courtyard. Ace flinched when he was let go, the movement straining on his back for little more than a moment before he got comfortable.

"_You okay, Atche?_" Luffy scooted nearer to his brother, concern in his eyes. "_Sorry…_"

"_M'fine._"

Marco stiffened when brown eyes looked him over, grey following soon after. He noticed that they were blown like before, a sure sign the humans were still under the effects of the herbs they'd ingested. He didn't trust the grin that crossed the little one's face. "_Hey, hey Atche,_" Luffy tugged eagerly on his brother's sleeve, "_if Ladybird likes crows then… does that mean she's gonna marry one, since she's a bird too? Are they going to have little crow-babies? I don't like crows. Mama didn't like them. But little crows might be okay._"

The blond raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was rambling about. He turned to Thatch who raised placating hands, "Don't look at me. Something about crows—that's all I caught."

He decided not to press, looking through the open doorway as they began their wait for Izo. The turtle wouldn't be long—he never wasted time, and he seemed pretty eager to get a good look at the humans.

"_Don't be stupid, Lu, little birds look like monsters._" Ace's brow creased in thought. "_Hey… Marco's a monster. He's a monster bird already! His kids would be hideous! And on fire! Flaming ugly birds!_"

_"Don't!_" Luffy chastised—or that was what it sounded like, at least. "_You're gonna hurt Mister-Miss Monster Bird's feelings! She didn't ASK to be on fire, y'know!_"

Low and behold, the fair-skinned mythos appeared in the doorway, approaching them. He stepped around the boys, stopping next to his mythos brethren. At first Marco thought he was going to speak, lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Instead be focused on the humans' faces, on their droopy, red eyes that seemed permanently fixed on Marco. The crossdresser pursed his lips. "They seem a little… off."

_"I wonder if it hurts… Mister Ladybird Marco, does being on fire all the time hurt?_" Was Ace trying to talk to him? Not knowing made him uneasy.

"_Well DUH, he's on fire!_"

"_But phoenixes are firebirds!_" Ace exclaimed in a slur. "_They… like… they're s'pposed to be like that 'n stuff. And he's blue._" Grey eyes found their way to the bird's head, unsettling the blond just as they did before. He didn't like being stared at like that. "_Hey Marco-bird, why's your hair yellow? You're blue. It should be blue. It confuses me. 'S it because it's brighter? Like the sun? Do you use it to pick up girls?_" A pause. "_…How do you breed?_"

Izo nearly choked, making Marco uneasy. He heard his name. Immediately the turtle spun on Thatch, eyes hard and disapproving. "What did you do?"

"Me?" the cat asked, feigning innocence. "Why do you think it was me? I mean Marco could have—"

"He drugged them yoi." The adults went silent.

Luffy giggled. "_He's a bird, silly!_"

"He WHAT?"

The boys did little more than jump at the sudden ferocity in Izo's tone, proving just how out of it they were. Ace even chose not to bring attention to it, continuing to ramble on. "_No, breed like… like make babies. 'Cause he looks like people, but then 'e doesn't._"

The brunet barely glanced at the child, brows furrowed and set on the redhead in front of him in warning. "Explain."

"Look, it was an accident! I swear! But—but it was a good thing!"

"You drugged human children, Thatch," Izo pointed. "There's nothing good about that."

It was at that point Marco felt the need to intervene. He knew how his brother felt—he'd reacted in much the same way—but there was some good that came of it, even if it wasn't the most honest of methods. If they had walked out of that room without them being like that… he didn't want to think about how the poor things would have reacted. So the blond stepped forward. "He's right, yoi. I don't think we could have gotten them here otherwise."

"_Does he lay eggs? Is that why we're here—so that he can lay eggs and they can hatch and we're like their emergency rations if he can't find fatter people?_"

The turtle pursed his lips. "What do you mean?"

"_I don't think we'd taste very good… And I don't want to see him lay eggs…_"

The mythos looked between each other, tensing, silently asking the other to explain. Thatch was the first to cave, heaving a sigh as he rubbed his neck and looked away from the youngest of the trio. "…There was an incident while we were gone. The servant we put in charge of caring for them didn't listen and…" Swallowing, he met silver eyes. "He abused them, Izo. Hurt 'em real bad."

Darkly rimmed eyes went wide and the mythos spun around. For the first time it seemed he noticed the scabs on the exposed necks of the younglings, the discoloured flesh that poked out from beneath their bandaged torsos. It seemed they hadn't noticed the new person, still fixated on Marco, but their focus shifted when Izo knelt in front of them, swaths of pink falling neatly to the ground. When they looked to his face he offered a forced smile.

"_Hello there, little ones._"

Luffy blinked, his mouth stretching into a smile, whereas Ace gaped, likely realising that the stranger spoke their language. "_It's another pretty lady!_"

Whatever the younger said seemed to be enough to snap the elder out of his stupor, tilting his head. "_I-don't-think-so?_"

They stared intently at Izo, silence stretching across the courtyard until Luffy opened his mouth, "_Lady, why's your chest so flat?_" He reached out his hand, groping Izo's chest. Immediately Marco felt the need to apologise, approaching them as Luffy's face sagged into a pout. "_Awe… it's a boy._"

"_It is?_" Ace followed his brother's example, pressing his hand next to the younger's.

The blond knelt down beside them, gently but firmly pulling their hands away from the mythos. "Sorry yoi. They're, uh, still out of it."

"As you've said…" He returned to smiling at the humans, though Marco could see the way he searched their wounds, analysing them. "_Yes, little ones. I'm a boy._"

Suddenly Luffy's hand shot up once again, this time to grope Marco's chest. He froze and stiffened as the boy grabbed at him, Luffy's face a mask of shocked realisation. "_ATCHE! SHE'S A HE!_"

"_I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU THAT THIS WHOLE TIME!_"

Peals of laughter escaped Izo's mouth, the mythos clearly amused by whatever they said in their outburst.

"What is it?" he couldn't help but ask as he pulled away from the human, internally cringing. He wasn't good at dealing with their touch when he wasn't braced for it. The other mythos seemed to notice, their eyes lingering on him longer than necessary.

Izo waved off his question, his smile more relaxed than before. "Nothing, nothing. You have two adorable humans, is all." He leant in closer to them, his expression falling once more as he looked them over. "…They're young."

Thatch stepped nearer, slumping down onto the edge of the wooden porch. "Well, yeah—told you that before, remember?"

The way Izo's head shot up to glare at the tiger had a knot forming in Marco's stomach. There was something foreboding in his words—something dangerous. He found himself subconsciously edging nearer to the children, an unknown feeling rising up from his core. The boys, in their drug-induced state, seemed to have had enough of sitting there as Luffy helped Ace to his feet, and they hobbled up to one of the old trees at the edge of the courtyard.

"You didn't tell me they were _this _young!" he shouted, biting back a growl as both of his brothers turned to stare at him with wide eyes. When neither moved to retort, to explain themselves, he shook his head. "You don't even know, do you?"

The world went quiet, nothing but the sound of the wind blowing past their ears as everything stilled. Thatch chanced a response first, swallowing. "…Know what—"

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Izo shouted, scaring the human boys. "Return them _right now_! They're _barely hatchlings_, you fools!"

Marco's body went cold.

The tiger was taken aback by the raw anger in his brother's voice. He collected himself and furrowed his brows, trying to appear unfazed by the sudden outburst. "We can't!" he growled back. "There's nowhere to return them to, even _if _we knew where they were from!"

Izo straightened, his face still hard as he looked down at the redhead. "What do you mean?"

Thatch didn't keep eye contact for long, glimpsing back to where Marco sat still stunned by those words. What did he mean, 'barely hatchlings'? They couldn't have been _that _young. He may not have had enough knowledge on humans to tell their age, but he knew that they couldn't be _that young_. But he didn't say that, didn't interrupt Byakko's words. "Marco told me they were found on a ship by one of Hancock's minions—a_ human _ship, _tied up_," he admitted, being sure to emphasise just why they couldn't return them. "And after what that mutt did… They're messed up, Izo. Real messed up."

He hoped that it was understanding that he saw in the turtle's eyes, and hoped it was compassion that followed.

Ace rested against the trunk of the tree while Luffy jumped up, trying to reach a fruit on one of the low branches. After a few failed attempts Marco stood, half-dazed as his thoughts were still on what was said, and walked over to them. He grabbed two fruits, watching the slight colour change as they were plucked from their branches and handing them off to each child respectively. Unlike the last time he tried, they accepted, Luffy going so far as to utter what the bird knew as a word of gratitude in their language.

Izo released a frustrated sigh, carding a hand through his ebony strands as he watched the children eat. "There's no choice, then. But humans that young… they should be with their mother, not a pair of idiots like the two of you."

Thatch's interest was piqued at that and he turned towards the other, looking up. "How old do they look to you?"

Once more sighing, he lowered himself next to the redhead, moving stray hairs away from his face. "Given their size, I'd say… no more than four and six." He focused silver eyes on Marco. "That'd be before flying age, phoenix."

"WHAT?! There's no way!" Now it was the cat's turn to startle the children, apparently. Marco would have beaten him to it, had he not been speechless. "That can't be right! Ace is too independent, and they're too mature to be so young!"

"I'm telling you what I see, _Byakko_." The name was used mockingly. "Look at them, Thatch. Really look at them. They're tiny."

"Well yeah, but—"

"I've seen plenty of humans. Those boys right there? They're not even old enough to care for themselves. Left on their own they would _die_. Are you following?"

Pulling his mouth taut, the cat cursed. "…It doesn't seem right," he whispered, dropping his head into his hands.

Marco stared at nothing in particular as those words sunk in. Before he'd called them hatchlings simply because of how tiny they were, thinking all humans were small before adulthood. He thought it was normal—just another thing he wasn't aware of about humans. To know that his nickname for them was accurate, that they were so helpless, and that two boys barely out of infancy went through all of that, everything that was done to them, his stomach turned. He felt like he was going to be sick.

A tug on his fingers had him rolling his eyes downward, settling on Luffy's small frame. The boy slurred something in his native tongue, pointing up at the tree, and Marco could guess what he wanted. Wordlessly complying, he took two more fruits from the tree and gave one to the hatch—_child_. He wasn't ready to use that word while the shock was still fresh. The bird knelt, holding the second fruit out towards Ace who didn't seem to notice it at first. His eyes were out of focus so the blond snapped his fingers, altering him to the offering. He took it, staring blankly at it for a few moments before biting into it. It looked like they were starting to nod off, the effect of the herbs finally wearing off, and Marco found himself sitting across from them. They were only a few bites in when their eyes slipped shut, the fruits rolling from their hands—first Luffy's, then Ace's. Absently he went about adjusting their postures so that they weren't so awkward, his brothers' conversation behind him fading into the background as he thought.

It was strange: looking at them then, instead of seeing disgusting humans or abused boys, all he saw were frail younglings, fragile like glass.

Easy to break.

* * *

><p><strong>So... hope it lived up to your expectations! Odd place to leave it off, I know, but you'll see why we left it there next chapter (which we've already started on - I think we've got the first 2K down) Oh! For the berries, we were basically envisioning the effects of the herbs to be a mix between being drunk and being high, so that's why it's kind of weird. The herbs are found in the mythos realms and only cause those effects in humans, and we know these two don't know that much about humans *cough* Again, thank you for sticking around and reading and reviewing, we love that you've been enjoying it! And we've got a surprise for you in chapter 6, so hold out 'til then ;)<strong>

**To our lovelies~**

**Tinnis: (B) Thank you very much! Personally I think it's because we work so well together and our styles mesh nicely. As for your question: There are no devil fruits in this story. (A) You should see our planning. We finish each other's ideas, it's scary e_e; But yes, what she said about devil fruits.**

**Tsuri182718: (B) It's fine that you don't speak English! Thank you for the review! (A) We appreciate that you reviewed despite that :D**

**Suki Miko: (B) We spend a lot of time plotting out everything for each chapter. Thatch won't be the only one spoiling them, I'm sure. As for the discrimination… I wouldn't say it'll be further developed, but we will elaborate more on it as the story progresses. (A) Oh they'll definitely be spoiled alright… Though I think we have to worry more about Marco than Thatch, because at least Thatch knows WHEN to spoil them XD Yeah, I'd say there'll be further development. It'll be explained in more detail and you'll certainly see more examples of it in future chapters.**

**Pilvenpiitaja: (B) Maybe… Don't hate us! You know you really love us, admit it. Because without us, there would be no story, right? (A) If you love the story then by extension you love us because we're the ones that wrote it :P**

**PheonixWing68: (B) Comments are always welcome! Don't feel awkward about it. Your review really brought a smile to my face. I'm always worried that I personally need to work on my writing, since I know my spelling isn't great and my grammar goes downhill when I get excited (Just ask Anj!). So Thank you very much! I too have noticed the lack of updaters. (A) Hey, we like comments, awkward or not! XD Yes Beddy, you make more mistakes the more excited you get, but so do I XD And you have me to read it over~ As for updates… I haven't noticed, but lately I haven't been reading much because I can't keep up with writing if I do :,D**

**Ukvari: (B) I apologize for the confusion about the different mythos. It will be a little less confusing as the story goes on, and there are the notes about the different types. (A) That's what the notes are for, hun :) They teach you about the mythos mentioned so it's easier to understand, since it CAN be confusing. I THINK the next new character won't be introduced until chapter 6.**

**Son Goshen: (B) Squees are good. I like squee-ing. Hahaha yes, failPapa!Marco. He tries though. So he gets points for that. Pillow and blanket forts are the best. (A) Yes, she, that's how the language barrier will be solved… *cough***

**Goat-tea: (B) Kids are amazingly resilient. Also, when they're on the bed, Ace is talking really low. He's not aware that Thatch can hear him clearly right away. But yes, they start talking pretty fast. You are completely correct about what Ligi did. For mythos, it really was completely normal. After all, Teach was going to eat them and Doffy… well… yes. Mythos are not fond of humans. He still deserved to get eaten, though. As for Sekhmet, keep in mind that first off this is a race of mythos, not a god. Also, in Egyptian mythology Sekhmet was the goddess of healing and war. Originally she protected Ra, and when he was killed, she went crazy and started killing people until she was tamed and became a different, cow-headed goddess. So that's where the idea of Sekhmet's not liking humans comes from. (A) While they're doing better than Marco expected, I would say they're doing well… *cough* And yes, what Ligi did most mythos wouldn't find fault with. Thatch and Marco? They're the exceptions.**

**ScatteredPhilosopher: (B) You'll be seeing more of the other mythos clans eventually and how they all interact. Don't you dare yell at me for spoilers, Anj. It's kind of a given there will be more characters. (A) Lol I won't yell at you this time XD There will be a LOT of different characters and clans and species and all that lovely stuff. Right now, though? Right now we're focusing on our main characters.**

**Zealousfreak27: (B) Thank you very much! (A) Thank you~**

**Key46812: (B) We were a little unsure how well that was going to be received. I loved that scene, myself, even if he was just doing what was culturally acceptable. (A) Yeah, I was worried I'd scare people away when I wrote it XD**

**Blood Princess Red: (B) I'm glad you liked the story! Yeah, reading all three chapters in one sitting can be a bit of an emotional roller-coaster ride, huh? (A) Things go up and down a lot in this story XD**

**Fairy of the Fiz: (B) That is the kind of reaction you need to have when a bad guy get's eaten. That or a maniacal grin. I blame Anj for all the abuse we put them through, even though I wrote it. Because she spent all of the author notes last time blaming me. (A) Oi, oi, you came up with ALL of that, thank you. Or most of it. Over half, at least. Me? My sins only go as far as Marco contemplating snapping their necks. I'm cuddly and innocent in comparison.**

**aslMeno: (B) Their adorableness can never be overstated. I hate kids as a general rule and *I* think they're cute. You'll just have to keep reading to see the answers to your questions~ (A) Same, children are evil. But these two I'll make an exception for.**

**Blue Wolf Miko: (B) See? Luffy figured it out. It just took some inappropriate groping on his part. (A) I feel bad for that, we're taking Marco so far out of his comfort zone...**

**Setsuyme: (B) Well, I'm glad you took the time to stop and read it! Totally worth the read, am I right? We spend a lot of time plotting out everything and hashing out the details in order to get everything to flow well. It's a lot of fun, and Anj is great for bouncing ideas off of. Sometimes we get going and then it ties into another idea and we didn't even PLAN on that happening to start with! (A) And this is why you need to give things a fighting chance :P Yes, working on it with Beddy is fun! We already have parts of 5 and 6 planned o_o But things really changed… Beddy originally wanted them to be teens, for example.**

**Guest: (B) And here's the next update. (A) Here it is~**

**Sairakanzaki: (B) No, this won't be a MarcoXAce pair. (A) Ace is a little too young for that here… ^^;**

**Samettikettu: (B) Yeah, Thatch has no clue what he did wrong, either. It's going to be a long and difficult road ahead of them, but I think they'll manage. (A) This is gonna be a long story, and there'll be a looooot of stuff for them to go through. But, well, that'll come later.**

**Ghanathesayan4: (B) You're making me blush. Honestly I don't even notice half the time how complex we've made the mythos and human cultures anymore. (A) I didn't realise it was complex at all, I'll be honest ._.**

**Aerle: (B) Well, Ligi didn't even pretend to be sorry. But you're the first person to feel bad for him. Marco is kind of awkward, isn't he? (A) Lol he stood by what he did, right until the very end. I love awkward Marco. He's fun.**

**Blueh: (B) Marco's going to be feeling guilty for a long time. Especially since he really doesn't know what he's doing at all. Ligi did his job well, for all that he wasn't fun to write. (A) And with every chapter Marco's guilt grows muahahaha. And Beddy, don't lie, you got WAY too into writing it for it to not be fun.**

**Molly Grace 16: (B) Oh, he sure tasted nasty. (A) Most definitely.**

**God of Laundry Baskets: (B) Anj, look, look what we did! We spazzed someone again! I'm so proud of us. (A) As am I.**

**Ireadtomuch: (B) We may or may not see Dalmatian himself in this story. Since you have minions, I think they might already suspect you're evil, you know? (A) We felt an OC was most appropriate because it's something fresh and new. It was someone never seen before to introduce the new world. Lol I don't see why you'd want to give a false portrayal to your minions.**

**Caring16: (B) I, Bedlamwolf Aka Kitsune Foxfire am B and Anjelle is A. Thank you very much! (A) B = Bedlam, A = Anjelle**

**WeevilOne: (B) If you end up adopting a dog or two, I demand you name them Atche and Lufhi. (A) As do I.**

**FlightWulf: (B) Getting sleeping IS the downside when reading in bed. But as you pointed out it's still totally worth it, right? We try and catch all those, and I guess I should go back and fix it, since I'm the one who leaves the editing to Anj (she's better at catching things then I am normally). Thanks for pointing that out! (A) Yeah, we miss things once in a while but so long as it's readable I'm happy~**

**Silent Cannery: (B) Ligi's death would not be cannibalism, since as you pointed out, he's not a phoenix. Maybe I'll do a oneshot of his death. I think the reason we left it out was because it detracted from the plot, really. It's not that Luffy is more mature so much as he is trusting. Marco in his mind isn't a threat, and when he sees Marco upset, he's mimicking what his own brother does for him. Ace on the other hand is older and is more untrusting by nature. (A) Trust me, there'll be… umm… Well, there'll be parts to make up for Ligi's missing death scene *cough* Luffy doesn't understand the dangers of their situation the same way Ace does. Ace? He understands the reality of it. He understands that just because these guys haven't hurt them doesn't mean they won't. And thank you as usual for your fabulous review! It's nice to see people putting so much thought into reading :D**

**xXMissAmeXx: (B) I love how everyone is happy Ligi got eaten. See, Anj? I told you the art was good. (A) I hold firm to my opinion that it's not.**

**Guest: (B) He was stringy. And I myself am fond of long naps. (A) As am I.**

**Kickassdani: (B) Well, we'll slowdown sometimes, too. We do have our own individual stuff to work on. (A) Yes, and March was difficult for me.**

**Nimphy-Ryuu-chan: (B) Yeah, it's a fluffy chapter for the most part. Thatch WANTED to help, but Marco went off on his own there. Poor Thatch didn't get anything. You have so many questions that I can't answer without getting yelled at! I'll let Anj explain the pronunciation, because I'm evil. (A) I explained in the top AN since so many people were asking :P**

**SiqwithaQ: (B) So now you understand our half-random seeming comments in group chat, huh? Or at least a few of them. And yes, be proud of you help with the naming of the chapter! (A) Yes, be very proud!**

**Justa Little Puppy: (B) How did you manage that?! 0.0 I'm impressed. I can tell your tail is really wagging like mad. The almost bonding is adorable, isn't it? So cute and I don't usually like stuff that sweet. (A) It's cute, but if you look at the context it's still kinda depressing XD**

**Gundam-grrl: (B) Here it is! (A) Here ya go~**

**Bard of Chaos: (B) That's what I like to hear! (A) Same!**

**Fruitstogether: (B) Everyone loves that Marco ate him, huh? Ace and Luffy are very young, so it's not like they can teach the others much about the human world. (A) Yep. And language barrier, of course. And would they even listen?**

**ThiefofStealth: (B) I'm glad you enjoyed it! We'll update when we can… but things like our other stories and life do get in the way. (A) Yes, having 11 other stories kinda slows things down for me… *cough***

**Aille: (B) Oh, if they ever realize… Yeah, Thatch got tripped up on not only the language barrier but cultural differences there as well. (A) There'll be more of that in the future… *cough***

**Caitycaterpillar: (B) I can't say much without being yelled at for spoilers, but… you'll be seeing other people from the One Piece world as a whole as the story goes on. (A) Yes, there will be many, many more characters.**

**TheAnalei: (B) Yep. It's acceptable for Mythos to eat each other. When you're basically immortal, there's not a lot of ways to insure the other person stays dead other than eating them really. Marco IS trying, but it's not going to be easy at all for him. (A) Yeah. And if you want to blame someone for the eating, I will take full responsibility. It was my idea. He's trying, but he doesn't always get the mark…**

**Nugni: (B) Marco's got a lot of things to work through when it comes to his hatchlings. I think he confuses himself half the time. (A) Yeah, he overthinks, or under thinks, or just plain doesn't understand. **

**Frostheart D. Blaize: (B) It's probably better not to think too much on it. (A) What she said.**

**Rheassa: (B) Sorry for the delay. We do have other stories of our own and life. Life does kind of make it hard when we live in different countries and time zones. (A) Life makes things VERY difficult.**

**Hyousax Wilson Grim: (B) Well, there was no point in beating around the bush, was there? Aww we're a favorite! (A) Yay~**

**PhantoMNiGHT321: (B) Ligi was totally eaten. And Look, Luhfi figured it out! (A) Yes, yes he did.**

**Thank you all for the faves, follows and reviews~**

***quote by T Jay Taylor**


	5. Reality is the Leading Cause of Stress

**Chapter Quote: "Reality is the leading cause of stress for those in touch with it." (It was too long to fit again :'D)**

**Bedlam: Beldam here! I'm going to leave most of the intro to Anj. I just wanted to say we're working on 6 right now, and 7 and 8 are plotted out for the most part. Also, I want Marco's bed.**

**Anjelle: Yes, Marco's bed is indeed very fantastic. Um, okay, intro, intro… So welcome back, lovelies! We've actually had this done for… well, weeks, I'll be honest. But we didn't post it because we wanna stay ahead. And, well, it's exam season, so spamming you with updates would not be the best idea. From the responses we got, some of you are on the right track. A lot of you aren't. But that's okay XD OH! And this is the second longest chapter o_o Like seriously, only chapter 2 is longer. Damn.**

**Oh! And we made a blog for the story on tumblr! It's:**

**whatimmortalityleftbehind. tumblr. com (remove spaces or find the direct link on our profile)**

**We'll be posting everything from chat about the story to concept art to whatever else on there if you wanna check it out :)**

**Enjoy~**

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><p>Atche's head ached dully as he sat in the strange room, trying to get the energy up to explore it. He remembered leaving the relative safety of the other room, long halls and another carriage flight—even some vague impressions of being carried, but it was all hazy, like a half-remembered dream. In fact, everything went a little fuzzy after breakfast. The last thing he had any clear memories of was eating those deliciously tangy berries. He didn't like it, this weird feeling, <em>or<em> the way it made his head hurt trying to remember exactly what happened.

Luhfi let out a low whimper and rubbed his face into his arm. "Atche? My head hurts."

"Mine, too." He glanced around the room again. It looked different than the last one, too. Most noticeable was the door. There were two now, and one, the one they came in he thought, was on a different wall. He and his little brother had been deposited on a pile of cushions in front of a window which was letting in plenty of light—light that, at the moment, Atche could do with a little less of. Beyond the cushions the place looked pretty empty, like it was half finished or something. In all, he wasn't sure if he liked this new room or not, but at least it wasn't that place from _before_.

There was a knock on the door and the knob turned. Atche couldn't help the way his eyes darted around, looking for a place to hide even though he knew there was nowhere, or the way he pulled Lu closer to his side even as he recognised Thatch's grinning face as the door opened. Either the guy didn't notice or didn't care, because he didn't change his smile, instead walking into the room and calmly chatting away. "_Looks like you two are settling in nicely. So, what do you think? Do you like it? I know it's kind of empty right now but we're going to get it all set up for you by the end of the day, don't worry!"_ Thatch grinned at them, settling himself to sit cross-legged on a spare cushion across from them. Still smiling, he pulled out a covered bowl from the small bag he'd carried in,_ "Sorry it's been so long since you last ate, what with the whole, er, berry fiasco; I thought it might be a good idea to wait until you sobered up. No need to be throwing up everything you eat, right?"_

Looking at the bowl, Atche's stomach knotted in something that he refused to admit could be fear. His mouth went dry as he watched the almost-soup get ladled into two separate bowls, unaware that he was shivering ever so slightly.

"_Please eat, alright? I swear to you this morning was an accident. Don't stop eating because of it_." Thatch put down two small bowls of wonderful-smelling soup. He wasn't smiling anymore. "Hungry?"

Luhfi looked at him, big eyes full of worry. "…I'm scared, Atche. I don't wanna eat it if it's gonna make me all funny-feeling like before."

"I know, Lu…" Atche sighed, pulling the bowls closer. Cautiously he glanced at Thatch. So far he and Marco had fed them and cared for their wounds, but there was no telling how long that was going to last. He had no way of knowing what they even wanted from them, which was terrifying. He'd learned that the only way to protect his brother and himself was to find out what that _monster_ wanted and do it, but now… now he was lost. He _had_ to keep them happy, to get Thatch smiling again. _Had to_. "You got to eat it anyway, okay? You don't want to make them mad, right?"

"They wouldn't hurt us."

"I don't know, Lu." His brother's faith in them wasn't something he shared, not at all. He couldn't risk it. "They could get rid of us, though."

"...I don't wanna go back to that dog-monster." Luhfi's eyes watered slightly as he looked up at Thatch. "Please don't make us go back. I'll be good, I promise! See? I'll eat it all up!"

Atche steadied his brother's hands as the child rushed to drink the soup as fast as he could, sending a worried glance towards the one who'd fed them. Thatch still didn't look happy for some reason, and he thought maybe Lu was eating too fast. "Don't choke, now."

"Mmm!"

"_What's gotten into you two?_"

Seeing his brother wasn't going to spill, he turned his attention to his own bowl, casting another glance at Thatch under the cover of his hair as he picked it up. It smelled great, but then again, so did those berries—and that funny-tasting bread. Luhfi might not have remembered that, but _he_ did. Steeling himself to take that first mouthful, he wondered if that was why they kept them: to feed them weird things and see what happens. It was a scary thought, but not as scary as the thought of what they might do if he or his brother _didn't_ eat. If Thatch or Marco treated them like that dog-monster had… He let out a low whine at the thought, almost choking on his soup.

"Ace?" Thatch reached out and he flinched away reflexively, finishing his soup with wide eyes. "_What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that, cub? Does eating hurt? You don't have to force yourselves, little ones."_

"I'm done, too, Atche," Luhfi gently put the empty bowl on the floor before burrowing into his side, hiding his face once more. "They won't get rid of us now, right?"

_I hope not…_ "Right. You did good, Lu. I'm proud of you." Warily he watched as Thatch rose, fighting the urge to drift off to sleep. He still wasn't sure if the man was happy with them, and he wasn't going to let himself fall asleep and leave his brother defenseless until he knew for sure. Because _he still wasn't smiling_.

The redhead sighed, looking down at them. "_You… don't even realize you can say 'no', do you?_" Gently he reached out and ran a hand over Atche's hair, ignoring the flinch completely. "_Ligi really did… and we just keep making it worse, huh? Poor cubs._" At long last the man smiled. It was a small one compared to the one he usually had. Atche would call it sad, too. But it was a smile, and he felt himself relaxing at the sight. He yawned, and the smile became a little wider. "_Sleep, _Ace, Luffy._ Good cubs. You're safe here." _ Thatch gently laid the soft blanket over the two of them and that was all he remembered for a while.

When he next woke, it was to a repetitive knocking sound. He let out a low moan and ducked his head under the blanket in an attempt to drown out the noise, something he knew was pointless even as he did it. After a time the knocking stopped and Atche relaxed slightly only to tense as it began again, slightly louder. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and sat up, glaring in the direction of the noise even as his sudden movements woke his little brother. The man was still in the room with them, but he wasn't paying the two youngsters any attention. Instead, Thatch seemed absorbed in the seemingly complex task of putting up what looked like sconces. Not that Atche had _seen_ many sconces before, except in the mayor's house the few times they were allowed in. Still, they _looked_ kind of similar, and it was the only thing Atche could think of that one would put up in a room, other than shelves.

Luhfi yawned, rubbing his eyes as he hugged one of the pillows to his chest. "How come his arms have those funny lines on them, Atche?"

He blinked, actually looking at Thatch's arms instead of watching what he was doing. The man had his sleeves rolled up well past his elbows, arms flexing as he swung the hammer in precise, controlled movements. He wasn't surprised that his brother had noticed it first; Luhfi could be pretty observant when he wanted to be. Right above Thatch's wrists, two dark marks circled his arms. At first Atche thought they were tattoos, but there were other dark markings on his arms—half closing around them and stopping and starting in weird places—that went right up past where his shirt sleeve was. He swallowed convulsively, knowing that those marks were a reminder of _what_ Thatch was. "I-I'm not sure, Lu," he lied.

"_There! That should do it, don't you think?_" The mythos turned and grinned at them, lowering the hammer and Atche was quick to look down. "_Did you two have a nice nap? Huh? I thought it best to get these up now—keep some light in here tonight for you cubs._" He continued to speak, his voice calm as he put the hammer down. Atche's eyes followed it, letting out a small sigh of relief when it was out of Thatch's hand and no longer a possible threat as he shifted closer to his brother.

For a moment, the man just stood there looking at them and he could feel the slight tremor that started to run through his brother's body as Luhfi pressed further into him, seeking comfort. Atche firmly fixed his gaze on the man's chest, silently willing his own shivering to stop as he waited to find out what was going to be asked of them. _Whatever it is, I'll do it. Please… just don't—_

A gusty sigh almost had them jumping out of their skins. "_Poor little cubs. You guys are scared witless of me again, huh_?" Thatch approached, and it took everything in him not to try to escape. He _knew_ he'd be punished if he tried. The dog-man didn't like it when they ran from him… "_Shhh. It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you, _Ace, Luffy._ It's ok…_" He knelt a few feet away, offering them a soft smile. "_See? Nothing bad's happening… Dammit. Can't believe those stupid berries scared you this bad, cubs. I'm so sorry. It won't happen again, I promise. _Marco _won't even make you leave these rooms if you don't want to. You're safe here._" As he gently spoke to them, Atche felt Luhfi slowly relax. Still he kept his guard up for a while longer, just in case it was some sort of trick.

Thatch lifted his arm, holding it up in front of them, "_You looking at my stripes_,Luffy?" He felt his brother flinch slightly, obviously having been caught staring at the markings on the man's arm. "_Do you like them? Want to touch?_" Leaning forward with a warm smile, Thatch held out his arm to the young boy. When neither made a move, he gently ran the fingers of his opposite hand across the markings. "_Touch? _Ace, Luffy?"

Atche swallowed, realizing the man wanted them to _touch_ him. More than that, he wanted them to feel the very thing that made him so much more powerful than they were. He _couldn't_ refuse, though. Gingerly and with shaking fingers, he reached out and ran his hand along the proffered arm. The markings didn't feel any different than normal flesh—not like the few tattoos he'd dared to touch, with their slightly bumpy skin. Luhfi made a small sound of surprise as he ran his hand across the marks. "It's smooth, Atche," he whispered.

"_Different than you were expecting?__Have you seen tattoos? They SAY long ago humans saw our markings and got jealous. I don't know if that part's true or not, but your species got the idea for tattoos from us. Of course, we have tattoos, too. Maybe I'll show you sometime…_" A slight grin, _"My markings tell you what I am, of course. Which is a tiger. Not that you cubs have any clue what that is, which is a good thing. You know, if you think THESE are cool, you should see Marco's legs. They're bird-like, which is why he wears those skirts and robes. Idiot thinks you'll be scared of them, but I bet you'll think they're pretty cool after you get used to the idea. Right?_" The hand reached out and both boys flinched back, not wanting to anger the man. "_No, no, it's alright... Ahhh, you thought I ordered you to touch me, didn't you? Damn. How am I supposed to explain this to the featherhead?_" Thatch ran a hand through his hair, visibly upset, and Atche waited for the inevitable blow. It never came. Instead, the man pulled over a box. "_Here. I know they're not new, but you're still cubs. And cubs need toys, right? So I had the servants gather what spare toys were laying around for you two._" He grinned at them, pushing the box closer as he stood, "_I'm just going to work on getting the rugs down while you two play, alright?_"

Atche waited until Thatch had crossed the room and busied himself with a large rug before letting go of his brother and turning his attention to the box and what was in it. He was sure the man wanted them to _do_ something with it, but he was ashamed to admit he didn't understand. The box was confusing, full of seemingly random things, half of which Atche wasn't sure how he was expected to use. And there was a hard leather ball about the size of a coconut which Luhfi immediately started to roll across the floor. Atche glanced over at Thatch to see if he was angry, a strange feathered pole in his hand, only to catch the man _smiling_ at them and _nodding_ encouragingly. It was very, _very_ confusing. "What _is_ this stuff?" He put the pole down and dug around in the box, pulling out a coil of rope with a large chunk of wood on it. "Weapons?" Next out of the box was some sort of floppy leather disk. "Is this some kind of hat?"

"_Do you like them?_" Thatch was smiling at him, and he was still confused, looking at the floppy thing in his hand. "_Huh, _Ace_? Are you going to play or let _Luffy_ have all the fun?_" Grey eyes darted over to his brother then to the redhead, confusion evident. "_You know, play?_"

"What—what do you want us to do?"

"_Do you hurt too much?_"

"Am I supposed to make something?"

The man sighed, settling on the edge of the carpet he'd finished laying down. "_Don't force yourself… Guess it was too much to expect you to just start playing, huh, cub?"_ Shaking his head, Thatch threw up his arms and flopped onto his back, startling Atche. "_I'm not cut out to be a father. Where's the old man when I need him?"_

Atche waited a moment for the redhead to move or say something else, but he didn't do anything except lay there. "Are you alright?" Cautiously he put the floppy disk down and edged off the pillows, taking a step closer to the still form. "Ma—" he glanced at his brother, "Mister?" and took another step, swallowing his fear. What if something had _happened_ to him? Would they be blamed? "Th-Thatch?"

Thatch's whole body contorted in a way that looked oddly fluid to him, and he stumbled back half a step in surprise. "_Woah there, _Ace_. Didn't mean to scare you. Shit. This is what I'm talking about. The old man is so much better at this kind of thing._" Thatch rolled more onto his side to look at him. "_I mean, he was able to get _Marco_ and I to get along, and we're… well, we're a bird and a cat. It was a miracle, that's what it was._"

The man huffed, reaching out and snagging another rug which he started to roll out, not even bothering to stand as he did so. Atche was quick to get out of the way of the heavy material, keeping his eyes on Thatch, even if he didn't understand a word of what was being said. Still, he didn't seem angry. After the rug was settled, he crouched down on it, careful to remain out of reach while keeping an eye on Luhfi who'd returned to the pillows for a nap. Thatch noticed, a small smile playing on his lips, before he turned his attention back to Atche.

"_If the old man was here, little cub, you'd have nothing to fear. He'd know just what to do—what to say—to make you feel safe. I'm just fumbling around in the dark. Of course, you'd probably be scared out of your wits right now by the guy, so taking you to him is out of the question. Izo'd have my head. He's worse than a snapping turtle sometimes. Don't tell him I said that. I don't know… Maybe I should go and ask him for pointers? I mean, he's kind of our father, right? I'm allowed to do that… What do you think, _Ace?"

The boy nibbled on his lip for a second, not sure what he was being asked. Taking a gamble, he ventured, "Yes?" earning a smile.

"_Yeah, you're right. I can always ask the old man for advice."_

* * *

><p>Sometimes it was hard waiting on word from his adopted sons. Being as large a being as he was, Whitebeard tended to stay out of the more occupied wings of the compound out of deference to the smaller mythos. It wasn't that the halls couldn't contain him; it was his home and he could navigate it with ease, but more of a matter that he was always a <em>little<em> worried about accidentally harming one of the more skittish servants—particularly the mice mythos. They tended to freeze up when startled, and if he accidently stepped on a pup, why… it was just better to stay out of the way until they were done for the day.

Now with the addition of his son's new pets, Whitebeard had wanted nothing more than to meet them in the courtyard. He'd known better, though. Humans were _much_ more flighty than mice mythos, especially young humans. It was better to get them settled and go visit them after a few hours. Maybe wait a day. Still, he'd expected Izo, at the very least, to come tell him news of these tiny humans. It had been hours since Marco's carriage had been sighted, and still there was no word. He was beginning to worry that something was wrong, and it was hard as a father to sit and wait.

Finally the door swung open, but it wasn't Izo who entered his main hall. Instead it was Marco himself, looking much the worse for wear. Instantly he was half out of his seat, "What's wrong, my son?"

"Mmm?" The phoenix warily blinked at him, like he hadn't even been aware of entering the room, and shook himself slightly. "I'm fine, Father. Just a little tired, is all."

He didn't believe that for a moment, not after over three hundred years raising the boy. But still, he let it slide. "Alright. How was your trip? Did you get your pets settled in?"

"It was… eventful." Marco's eye twitched, indicating annoyance at something. Probably Thatch, if he knew his sons. "Ace and Luffy, that's the humans, they're settled in for the night. Izo said he was going to make them more clothes. Wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Well, I'm sure your brother is delighted to have living models. You know he can't get any of the servants to wear his clothes, and you and Thatch only go through so many. Human young grow quickly after all and—"

"Father?"

Marco never cut him off. Whitebeard looked at him, taking in the way his son's hair was tousled, and the bags under his eyes. Sure signs of stress. Why, if the phoenix was in his other form, he'd be preening, no doubt about that. Gently he patted his knee, encouraging his son to sit on his lap. "Yes, my boy? What's wrong?"

Marco leapt up, leaning into the hand he'd first put there to prevent his son from overbalancing. When he felt the slight tremor running through the muscular frame he gently rubbed his massive hand along his son's back in wordless comfort. "Father… I don't know if I'm doing the right thing… they're _so young—_" Marco's voice went hoarse on those words, and his heart went out to his son. "I—I _try_, really try to help like Thatch does, Father. But… they're human. And… and…" A shuddering breath and two hands ran through the crown of brilliant blond hair. "_They're so young, yoi._ How can I not want to...?"

"Sometimes son, being a mythos means following your instincts." Whitebeard chuckled at the incredulous look he was given.

"You used to tell us _not_ to follow our instincts, Father."

"Yes, I did." He agreed easily, grinning, "I didn't want my sons to eat each other, after all. But this is different. The instincts you're feeling now are telling you to protect your humans, right?"

He waited as the younger seeming mythos to gather his thoughts. Rushing Marco never was the way to go. Unlike most of his kin, he was more prone to thinking things through in a deliberate manner. Whitebeard suspected it might even be a contributing factor to why his son had managed to do so well for himself. Most male phoenixes were rash and quick to battle, or rather they had been. That attitude had ended with many of them dying out eons ago, and now most of the firebirds left were tame in comparison. Vain, more concerned with their plumage than their skills, they bonded early and burned out young. Not Marco, though. _No, not my son_, he thought with pride. At last Marco nodded, agreeing that his instincts were pulling him to protect, a novel change he was sure.

"Then you should listen to them. There is no shame in it." Whitebeard leaned in, "Let me tell you a secret. That instinct to protect? That's the same instinct that led me to find you. That guided me to bring you here. To call you my son. Me, a giant! But if I did not follow those instincts, I would not have the best sons the world could offer."

"They're human, though, Father. What if… what if they turn on us? On me?"

"Then _I_ will take care of it," he promised, grim for all but a moment. "Tell me honestly, boy. Do you really think they will?"

"They don't have any reason _not_ to." He felt the guilt radiating off the smaller frame, saw it in the clenched claws of his feet. "The servant we left them with? He treated them worse than Doflamingo would have, Father. Almost killed them. They're only hatchlings, practically covered in eggshell, and I _left_ them with him. I'm such a fool."

That was a lot younger then he'd been expecting, but the giant refused to show it. It did explain why he hadn't seen his sons or their pets. _No, I can't be calling them pets now, can I? Not when my boy's got his feathers all ruffled over them. _"You couldn't have predicted that. Hush. What's done is done, and they're safe now. Make it up to them. Show them you're different than that servant. Let them know he was a _real_ monster, and you have nothing to fear, my son."

"You're sure?" He hadn't heard his son sound that hopeful in a long, _long_ time.

"Have I ever given you bad advice?"

"There was that one time you told me to play with a tiger…" Marco grinned, and Whitebeard knew that his son was going to be alright. "Thanks, Father."

"Anytime you need me, my son." As Marco slid to the floor and turned to leave he stopped him, "When they're ready, I'd love to meet them. You said their names are Ace and Luffy?"

Marco nodded, a slight flush across his cheeks that neither of them commented on. "Yeah. I'll bring them by soon, I hope. Night, Father."

"Goodnight, Son." His mouth stretched into a grin, a knowing look on his face. _I suppose I should be calling the humans my grandsons._

* * *

><p>Marco watched with clenched fists as the tiger went about carefully lifting Luffy's shirt from his back, being sure to move slowly to keep from startling the poor thing. The boys still seemed to hurt when lifting their arms; he didn't want to know what Ligi had done to cause that. As he sat there and observed the process with unfocused eyes, his mind reflected on Izo's words, on the realisation they had made. They were barely weaned. He'd given to calling them hatchlings more for their small stature than their age, having no prior knowledge on human young, but learning the accuracy of that nickname made him sick. What were the ages Izo speculated, four and six? How did that translate to phoenix children? It wasn't hard to see from the turtle's reaction that it was sickeningly early for them to be on their own, let alone sold and abused by that—<p>

"Marco," Thatch called, snapping him from his thoughts with a jolt. He refocused on his friend, having removed the fabric from the boy's shoulders, worried eyes glancing back at him. "I got this. Go wait outside."

"No," he refused, his tone sharper than it probably should have been. He wasn't going to let the tiger shoulder all of the burden—not when this was _his fault._ To further show his resolve he turned to the elder brother who was still fully clothed, beckoning him nearer with a clawed hand, "Ace."

The hatchling—he was starting to hate that term—jumped at the sudden call, slowly creeping forward towards the blond.

The redhead sighed. "You're stubborn, you know that?"

He ignored the comment as he carefully went about grabbing the hem of the human's shirt, being sure the boy's eyes followed his movements to keep from startling him as he pulled it up to his chest. The bandaged torso was revealed in a nauseated show of soiled cloths and purple skin, discharge from the open injuries staining the white fabric. He had to resist the urge to look away; even after all he'd seen, all he'd _done_ over his many lifetimes, seeing wounds like that on someone so small, so _young_, felt so much worse. Even if he hated humans, even if he wanted to keep them away, he could never be that cruel.

Ace swallowed nervously as his eyes lingered. _"…What is it?"_ The small voice brought him to look up, forcing a weak smile as he pulled the collar of the shirt over the other's head. Even without understanding he could guess what was asked but chose to ignore it. He would have lied, said that it was nothing.

"You're a brave boy, dealing with all of this. I'm proud."

He caught his friend staring at him from his periphery, eyes lingering far longer than they should have, but didn't pay it any attention. Thatch always had good eyes and ears; maybe he noticed something that Marco didn't.

Motioning for the child to sit on the floor, the blond went about undoing the bandages clinging to the small torso, disgusted when he was met with the harsh truth of what Thatch hid from him a short few days ago, the reason he was told to leave the room. Ace's back was disgustingly bruised, his skin raw and tender from the nape of his neck to his tailbone. Most of the marks were dark shades of purple and blue, flecks of yellows and greens lining the areas between each blow. Immediately he had to glance over to Luffy to be sure he wasn't as bad off, releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding when he confirmed that was the case. It looked like Ace took the brunt of the assaults, perhaps shielding his sibling from further pain.

He swallowed. "So brave…"

"Marco, buddy, you holding up over there?" It seemed the tiger heard the slight break in his voice.

"I'm fine yoi," the phoenix assured as he finished unclothing his young charge, lifted him into the shallow, wooden bath, mindful of his injuries. He wasn't sure why he didn't just let Ace step into it himself; for some reason he didn't want to force the boy to stand. It would have hurt, moving around as he did, especially after how much the children ran in the early afternoon.

Grabbing the cloth that rested on the bath's rim, Marco soaked it in the water before running light touches down the child's back, removing the gritty layer of salve that covered his skin. With the rag just gently brushing against it he heard Ace's every whimper, felt every twitch, pangs of guilt assaulting his chest. _They're so helpless… and yet I—_

A splash signalled Luffy's arrival in the old tub, a grin splitting the hatchling's face as he threw water at his brother. Ace's face broke out in a similar, more reserved smile as he returned the action, his little brother laughing excitedly.

"_We get to have a bath, Atche! Just like Mama used to give!"_

"_Yeah. Does it feel nice?"_

"_Mhmm!"_

"_Good. Don't slip, okay?"_

"_I won't!"_

Marco wasn't really listening to the gibberish language the humans babbled in, catching a few words despite that, but his attention was grabbed soon after when a firm hand came to rest on his shoulder. He didn't pause in cleaning the elder child as he turned to meet the tiger's stare, spotting that knowing look he hated so much. It was only seconds before he had to look away.

"I suppose it's too late to say I'll kill him yoi."

Thatch let out a laugh that seemed more forced than not as he grabbed the other clean rag they'd brought out and began washing the younger boy's neck and shoulders. "Well, I'm sure we could probably find _something _you missed."

"Not unless you want the entrails," he answered absentmindedly, suddenly glad that the humans couldn't understand him. He doubted mortals dealt with their problems the same way he did. "I'm not partial to them."

The tiger cringed as he lifted Luffy's arm, running the cloth along its length. "That's nasty. I'm suddenly glad I didn't bother with breakfast yesterday morning."

He snorted at the comment but it never met his eyes, his mind still on just how severely hurt their boys really were.

He always got sentimental when hatchlings were involved.

"…They're so young, Thatch."

"I know."

Blue eyes locked onto the cat's dark orbs, pleading for help. "Are you sure we can fix this?"

Pulling his mouth taut, he nodded. "We're going to try." Those words were of little comfort but he supposed they were all he had.

Marco paused in scrubbing the boy's chest when Luffy grabbed onto his wrist, beaming up at him from amongst the suds. He blinked curiously, never once pulling away. They were humans but he refused to shove them aside just for that.

"_Thank you, Mr. _Marco!"

He couldn't have guessed what the boy said aside from his name but could tell from the elder brother's sheepish smile that it wasn't anything bad. So, careful not to startle, he ruffled the child's hair.

"Warming up to them?" Thatch teased beside him, leading him to scowl. He noticed the boys' smiles fade at that, something fearful in their eyes as they watched him. It wasn't long before Ace tugged Luffy's hand away, freeing the bird from his grasp.

"_Luhfi, no. You'll make him mad."_

The younger child's face sagged, _"Why?"_

"_I don't think he likes us, Lu."_

"I'm trying yoi," he admitted, his hand leaving Luffy's scalp to dip into the water, freeing it of suds. "I wasn't left with much of a choice."

The redhead pouted as he took the youngest hatchling's arm in his hand, gently running the soap across his skin before repeating it with the other. "Don't be like that; they're good for you and you know it."

"_But why, Atche?"_

"_I DON'T KNOW!" _The room went still, all eyes falling on the freckled human in the tub, wide with surprise. Ace looked fearfully at the mythos, shrinking away as they stared. His eyes screwed tight, braced for some impact never to come, arms tense and ready to shield him if necessary. _"S-sorry. I'm sorry!"_

After the quiet stretched too long, blue irises fell to the tiger, only briefly, before returning to the boy. Ace thought he was going to be hit, didn't he? _Why,_ though? "Thatch, what did he say?"

His brother seemed hesitant to answer, not moving as he looked to Ace with pity. Then, heaving a sigh, he returned to washing Luffy. "He was apologising."

"For what?"

"For yelling? I'm not sure; I wasn't listening to what he said."

Taking a deep, inward breath, he added more soap to the rag he was using to clean the youngling, moving on to his chest. Ace looked up at him with shock, Luffy following suit soon after, but he tried not to bring attention to it. The boy looked stressed, with good reason; it wasn't a surprise that he snapped. The sudden outburst was a comfort when thinking back to only days before, fearing they'd never utter a word. So the phoenix went with it, bringing his focus back to the task at hand, wanting to be thorough. There were more open sores on Ace's front than his back so extra care was needed. Even with it, though, he heard the boy hiss at the touch, slouching forward instinctively.

His face softened. "I'm sorry." The blond turned once more to the tiger, conveying his question through his eyes. Thatch leaned in close, whispering into his ear. "_Sorry_, yoi." He hoped he was pronouncing it right.

Marco must have done something right because Ace's head shot up and he looked him in the eyes. It couldn't have lasted more than three seconds but still, it was something. And as they finished washing the boys, rinsing them with clean water, he wondered if things would be any different had they understood each other. He wondered what they thought of him, what stories they would tell if they spoke the same language. What were their favourite foods? Their hopes? Fears? Were they scared of mythos? Were they scared of _him_? He hoped Izo would be able to tell him, even just a bit.

Lifting Ace out of the tub, Thatch following his example, they grabbed the clean towels set aside to dry them. Ace allowed him that, doing his best not to shy away from the touch. He could see how the hatchling had his fist clenched at his side but decided not to address it. He was happy enough to see that the boy was trying.

Marco was sure to dry the child's hair thoroughly, his instincts telling him to protect him from getting sick. He'd noticed compulsions slowly overtaking conscious thought as the day went on and it irked him; a part of him didn't like feeling that way about the humans. Still, he bore with it, moving on to reapply the salve as Ace plopped down in front of him on small, wooden stool. The boy never took his eyes off of the phoenix's hands as he rubbed the substance into the wounds, careful and cautious even then. But Marco wasn't bothered by it. He understood.

He grabbed the bandages.

"Oh, right," Thatch noised as he looked over, wiping the residue from the salve on the used towel before dropping it to the floor. "You don't have to wrap them up too much; just be sure to get the spots that are still open."

"Right." With that, he began unraveling the roll of cloth, careful to watch how Thatch wrapped Luffy before making his own attempt. It'd been a long time since he last had to do that. Ace was looking at him expectantly, never meeting his eyes, and he offered a half-smile. "Bear with me, yoi. I haven't done this in a while."

He saw Ace tense again and waited, arms hovering in front of him as the boy breathed in deep. He looked to his brother, already half done, babbling on in that foreign language of theirs.

"_Atche, it feels all tingly again!"_

Ace swallowed thickly. _"Does it hurt?"_

"_Nu-uh!"_

Eyes returning to Marco's red robes, he gave a short nod. _"…I'm ready."_

"Says he's ready, Marco!"

The blond narrowed his eyes on the redhead when he saw Ace jump. "I figured." He accepted Thatch's sheepish apology, applying the fresh coverings. He was happy to note that, other than closing his hand tightly around the seat of the stool, the human didn't react much. Once that was done he grabbed a long shirt they'd brought—clearly too large for such a tiny child, but it would have to do, for the moment. He saw grey eyes look it over curiously. "_Sorry_," he tried again, still not sure if he was saying it correctly, "but you'll have to wait for proper clothes, _yes_?"

Ace tilted his head. _"_Yes?_ I… gotta wear that—is that what you're saying, Mister?"_ When silence stretched between them, the younger lifted his arms, gesture enough for Marco to pull the shirt over his head, allowing the white fabric to drape over his body. The boy pulled at the fabric, feeling it between his fingers before again turning to his brother who was now wearing a matching shirt. Both looked like dresses on them, and Marco made a mental note to have something proper for them to wear come morning. For the moment, though, they looked pretty content.

"_It's big, Atche."_ Luffy pulled it over his head, curling up into a ball on the floor. _"Look, I can hide in it!"_

The faintest of chuckles passed Ace's lips, leading the phoenix to slouch and sigh with relief; even if it was just for the moment, it was nice to see him so relaxed.

"_What are you, a turtle?"_

"_Yeah! Shishishi!"_

"_Idiot."_

* * *

><p>Thatch watched from a distance as his brother tended to the sleepy cubs, helping to feed them the bread he'd retrieved from the pantry as a midnight snack. They were both tired and sore, lacking the strength and drive to eat on their own, so Marco took to resting them upright against the cushions of their makeshift bed and handing them broken-up pieces of the bread, small enough to chew without much effort. The cat's face softened as he looked at the bird, at his investment in what he was doing, the most sympathetic of smiles crossing his face. If he was right, the phoenix was in for a long few weeks.<p>

Continuing what he was doing, the redhead knelt down on the rug and began picking up the old toys discarded on the floor, hefting a disgruntled sigh. He'd tried several times throughout the day to get the boys to play with them, to enjoy themselves a little, to no avail. Even Luffy, who'd taken to his old ball at first, quickly lost interest. They would pick them up, stare at them and put them down while giving him a strange look. Admittedly there weren't in the _best_ of conditions… Amongst them were a few of Marco's old blocks and knickknacks from when he'd last rebirthed—Thatch even remembered making some of them after finding his 'new' little brother trying to entertain himself by rolling a pebble across the floor—and others were from as far back as _his_ last childhood, so it was safe to say they were more than a little worn. But they were still usable. Was it because their smell was all over them? Did humans not like sharing, or was it something else?

Placing yet another toy back in the old box the servants had gathered them in, he glanced up at the three across the room, bringing himself to smile as Marco neared Luffy, carefully handing the drowsy cub a cup of water.

"That's it, yoi. Slowly."

Ace pulled on the hand holding the cup after his brother took a sip, gesturing it his way. Marco complied, allowing him a drink as well. The boys seemed less afraid when they were half asleep, a little more open than during the day. They talked less but they weren't so shy about physical touches. As the bird let them fall onto the plush cushions of their temporary bed, Thatch wondered if he, himself, had noticed the change in his behaviour. If he had, he certainly wasn't showing it.

The cat first realised it while bathing the children—heard it in the words and soft, caring tones Marco spoke in. He told Ace that he was brave—that Marco was _proud_ of him. He was proud of a human cub. Thatch chuckled and shook his head; he never thought he'd see the day the _phoenix_ addressed a human like that. But then he noticed the careful, gentle touches he used when tending to the boys and saw it for what it was: brooding.

…He wasn't sure whether he should be happy or concerned.

With the cubs tucked in and falling into a dead slumber, Marco sighed and stood. He gathered the cups and plates on the small table they'd brought in earlier in the day and left shortly, likely to put them in the hall for the servants to gather later. He watched from his place on the carpet as Marco paced outside the inner sitting room, seemingly torn over something before finally entering his new bedroom. On one hand, Thatch wanted to confront him on his observations. On the other, he needed to stay in case the boys woke up. It was their first night in their new room and he wasn't sure how they'd fare if they woke up alone in the dark of the room. The sconces kept it lit, but were they enough?

His dilemma was over when Izo arrived, smiling at the pair before glaring at him. _Why_ was the turtle so pissed at him? He still didn't know what he did! But he ignored it, for the most part, seeing that as a good time to make his way over to the featherhead's room.

"Can you watch them for me? Just for a bit?" The other narrowed his eyes. "I need to talk with Marco," he confessed.

With a huff, Izo gave a half-hearted nod. "You've noticed, then?"

"How he's babying the cubs?" He waited for a signal of affirmation. "Hard not to. Anyway, I'm kind of worried. Do you mind?"

Silver eyes closed, hidden behind pale lids as he leaned against the doorframe, "By all means."

The cat grinned. "Thanks, Izo."

Slipping past the turtle and heading into the outer sitting room, Thatch approached his brother's bedroom door. It had been left open a crack—odd, since Marco was so careful about keeping it closed, but it just showed how stressed he was. He allowed himself a chance to peek inside, unable to see much past the corner of Marco's suspended bed, frowning. But his eyes caught a glowing spark of blue before he moved to enter and he knew what to expect.

The wood creaked open, letting the orange light from the sconces enter the room and mesh with the blues of Marco's fire. He sat perched amongst the many pads and pillows of his hanging nest, fully transformed into his avian form as he picked at the cushions and blankets around him, fussing endlessly over how they rested. For a while Thatch stood in the doorway and watched as his brother tried to get the bed just right, as he was so prone to do when his nerves were shot, offering a sympathetic smile that went unnoticed. It seemed Marco realised, after all.

Eventually it seemed the phoenix was satisfied with his nest as he stopped picking at the pillows to groom himself instead, preening his feathers without so much as a passing glance at the cat in the doorway—another nervous habit. And Thatch was certain the birdbrain knew he was there, too. He _knew_ Marco was aware. He just didn't bring attention to it. _Stupid firebird._

Deciding he'd had enough of standing around, the tiger sauntered over to the bed, giving one of the chains suspending it a quick tug, earning a hiss and glare from his brother. He pursed his lips but did nothing else, ignoring the bird's territorial instincts in favour of flopping down on the oversized hammock. Marco snapped at him, threatening but never touching. It was a warning, he knew, but he paid it little mind in favour of making himself at home in his brother's recently-perfected nest. When a second warning was quick to join it, though, this one much closer to contact than the first, he took it upon himself to cuff the bird upside the head, sharing a dull, unimpressed glare. "Idiot. You _know_ I'll bite back." That was all the attention he gave the outburst, looking up to the ceiling where the chains originated from, bolted to it in a way that knotted his stomach. He wasn't one for heights. "How do you _sleep_ in this hanging monstrosity?"

Marco decidedly ignored his words, clicking his beak to show his displeasure at his recent adjustments to the blankets being destroyed by Thatch's presence.

"Marco," the cat started, adjusting himself and earning a second hiss, "I cook birds, you know. Humans have plenty of recipes." His brother huffed, his head falling to one of the pillows as he refused to look at the redhead, almost childish in his actions. "Plus you're already on fire. Half my job is done for me." He didn't miss the half amused, half annoyed glance the other gave him.

For a while they just sat together, soaking in the quiet of the room, Thatch fluffing some of the cushions in a show of courtesy for destroying the order of Marco's safe-zone. Eventually he smiled, lifting a clawed hand to smooth over the feathers of the phoenix's neck and shoulder blades, relieved when his brother allowed the action. It meant that he wasn't actually mad, at least, which also meant that he was trying to manage his stress. He continued the long, gentle strokes of his hand across flames that didn't burn, cool to the touch as they licked his skin. Marco's eyes closed, indication enough that he was enjoying it, and signalled that he was calm enough to converse with.

"So," he began, pulling a loose feather from his brother's back and dropping it carelessly to the floor, watching as the flames surrounding it shrank and fizzled out, "you're mothering them."

He caught the groan that left Marco, a clear show of how accurately he guessed. He didn't think he'd admit it that easily, to be honest.

"Brooding?" he tried, earning an equal noise of defeat. He was glad the firebird decided to cooperate; an angry Marco could be a scary Marco, and he didn't feel like dealing with that after such a long day. "It makes sense; you've never mated, and they _are_ pretty young."

That comment had the bird back to preening. Maybe he should have worded it better.

"What I mean is, _anyone_ would feel protective of them right now." he tried, raising his hands in a placating manner, never missing the look his brother gave him. Marco could see through Thatch just like he could him, so it wasn't surprising that the bird saw through his last-minute correction.

Huffing, he leaned against the phoenix's side, staring at the ceiling. He knew what Marco's actions meant—that instinct was taking over, that he was growing attached. He thought he'd be happy, but… he wasn't. As much as he wanted his brother to like the kids, to want to be there for the pair of human cubs, he didn't want it to be like that. He wasn't growing to like _them_, he was mothering them because of their ages—because of what they'd been through. That couldn't have been healthy, especially when one side of him was still so disgusted by them.

No wonder he was stressed. His heart went out to him.

…But there was a _tiny_ part of him that was amused by his brother's confliction—only a little.

Still the phoenix hadn't transformed back, clear indication that he didn't want to talk. But Thatch wouldn't let him get away so easily. As the bird groomed himself, the tiger went pack to running soothing strokes across his feathers, feeling his body relax beneath the touch and entering him into a calm state. He forced back the twitch of a grin that threatened to break across his face, glancing to the half-opened door.

"You've been in your other form a lot lately," he observed. "I bet the kids are used to it by now. I wonder how they'd react if they saw you like this."

Marco tensed again, unease rattling his form before his body began to shift, flames of blue and yellow shrinking back to reveal smooth skin and blond strands. Blue eyes looked up at him and Thatch had to blink, wondering about the silent way they pleaded with him. He thought it'd take more prodding than that to get the phoenix to cooperate.

Eventually his brother broke eye contact, instead fisting the blankets beneath them. "They're terrified of it—of me."

His jaw went slack, the gears in his head turning as he tried to make sense of that. "Wait," he started, holding up a hand in pause, "they _saw_ you? Like _that_?" The subtle nod and turn-away Marco responded with showed his discomfort with the topic. Thatch wasn't about to drop it, though. "When? _How_?"

There was a long pause before the blond replied, "When I arrived at the compound, yoi."

Thatch narrowed his eyes as he thought. He knew there was a story behind that—Marco wasn't one to transform liberally, and it wasn't socially acceptable for people outside of one's kin to see their true forms—but decidedly didn't address it. There were more important things on his mind, like convincing a certain idiot it wasn't true, so he instead huffed as he folded his arms over his chest. "Well of course they're going to be scared of some giant, flaming bird coming at them, Featherhead. They're humans; humans don't get to see us much."

Marco wasn't comforted by that, exhaling noisily as he dropped his head into his hands. A slight shiver passed through his shoulders. All of his anxiety was making itself known through his sickly complexion and darkly-rimmed eyes. "Father said that I should accept my instincts," he stated with a strained voice, apparently declaring the topic of his bird form dead. Thatch _really_ hated it when he did that. Avoiding the issue now only meant they'd be having the same conversation again later—possibly more than once. On the other hand, it was a good sign that Marco already talked to the old man about the brooding. "…It's hard, Thatch."

"I know, buddy," he cooed as he wrapped a comforting arm around the seemingly-younger mythos's shoulders. The room was dark now that Marco's fire was gone and the only light seeped in from the crack in the door. Were his eyes any worse he probably would've had trouble seeing, but as he was he could still make out the stressed creases in his brother's forehead, the way he bit his lip in thought.

"They're repulsive," Marco murmured softly, contrasting the sharpness of his words, "clinging to me like they do. It's disgusting."

Thatch wasn't going to point out the hypocrisy of his words—that the boys shied away from touch rather than encouraged it and that Marco was the one who initiated much of their contact. It wasn't anything his brother didn't _know _anyway. There was nothing he could do, no logic he could apply to make the bird _feel _differently. He knew that. He'd known for a long, long time.

"…But," he continued, hesitant.

Thatch felt a slight swelling of hope. Maybe the cubs could do what he couldn't, "Instincts?"

The phoenix nodded. "I-I want…" As his voice faded, Marco stared down at his hands. "I want to protect them, yoi."

"You want to mother them," he teased, earning a glare. The tiger decided not to mention how amusing it was to watch him run himself ragged for a pair of human cubs. "It'll be alright. You'll get through this." The look said the other didn't believe him in the slightest. Sighing, Thatch leaned against Marco's shoulder, blankly staring at the slice of sitting room he could see from the bed. "After all, it's only for a while, buddy. Humans live such short lives."

Apparently it was just the reminder the phoenix needed, even if it _had_ shredded Thatch's heart a bit. Marco grunted, taking deep, steady breaths as he calmed. "Thank—"

The bedroom door swung open, causing both mythos to look up. Izo was there, his figure draped in finely embroidered robes that caught the light from the sconces. He looked between them for a moment but didn't linger as he crossed the room and closed the distance between them. Marco growled low in the back of his throat, probably feeling the additional stress of his nest being invaded by yet another unwelcomed guest. Thatch knew from experience how territorial he could get during his off days. But Izo didn't seem to care, offering little more than an unaffected glance as he snatched an orange pillow from the bed.

"Oi," Marco hissed in irritation.

The turtle crossed his arms, looking down at the blond. "I need this," he stated simply, "I'm going to make some toys for the hatchlings."

Thatch's ears perked up at that. He stared at the soft, fluffed cushion intently, wondering just what he planned to do with it. What could be made from a pillow? "But they already—"

"I saw the 'toys' you gave them, Thatch. Human young don't want those things! They're not like us!" He shrunk back, his face sagging into a pout as he reflected on the boys' reactions to them earlier in the day. Izo turned back to the phoenix expectantly, but frowned when he didn't receive permission to take what he wanted. "Well? It's for the boys."

After a long, thoughtful pause, Marco broke eye contact and handed a second pillow out for the turtle. "…You'll need two, yoi."

Izo smiled and accepted it, his expression falling when his eyes met Thatch's. Okay, just _what _had him so pissed off? He couldn't remember doing anything! "I'll be taking some of yours, too."

"What? Why?"

"For extra stuffing," the brunet explained.

Somehow he just _knew_ he was doing it more for the satisfaction of taking apart his belongs rather than the reason he gave, but with Marco looking at him so expectantly he conceded and allowed it. "Did you leave the cubs alone?" he asked as a change of subject, regretting the words just as quickly as he said them.

Immediately Marco threw the blankets off his legs, nudging himself to the edge of the suspended bed. "Then I'll—"

"Relax, they're_ fine_, Marco. They're asleep." Of course that wasn't enough to relieve that bird's tense muscles and the turtle was led to sigh and roll his eyes.

"But—"

He held up a hand in halt. "You can't hover," he stated boldly. "They're _not _imprinted on you. They're not ducks. And if you try to nest with them you're going to get absolutely no sleep. Human young are squirmy little things."

Thatch couldn't help the way the corners of his lips tugged into a grin. So he noticed, too. But their brother still seemed hesitant and so he felt the need to step in, hopefully help convince him. So the featherhead wanted to nest with them? "It's not like they won't need plenty of naps anyway. Better to get them onto your sleep schedule at night and let them nap near you during the day, right?"

Marco swallowed, his head bobbing slightly as he slouched. "…Yeah."

He smiled. "You back, buddy?"

"Back..?" Blue eyes bore into him questioningly, widening with realisation. "Mmm."

Thatch and Izo exchanged glances, deciding that was a good time to take their leave. The tiger rose from the nest and together they walked to the door, turning back to say their 'goodnights' and watch their brother morph in a flurry of blues and yellows. His face softened as Marco nestled himself amongst the cushions, fluffing one to rest his head on. He never _could _sleep in his other form.

* * *

><p>The room was cool, almost cold to Atche since all he had on was that overly large shirt Marco had put him in after the bath. It hung down past his knees and the night before it had felt warm enough as he and Luhfi sat there in stunned silence. His outburst <em>should<em> have gotten him a smack at the very least, and they'd done nothing to hurt him. Marco had even _apologize_ to _him_! Still, it wasn't anywhere near as cold as it had been in that cold, dark place—his mind shrunk away from those thoughts as he quietly padded back across the soft rugs to the pile of pillows where his little brother was still gently snoring away. If he was honest, he didn't like sitting there alone with no one to talk to and nothing to do, but his quick exploration of the room with the tub didn't reveal anything he could do to make Marco and Thatch like them more. All there had been was the tub and the chamber pot built into the room which he quickly took advantage of. Out of habit he tried the other door in that room to find it locked, not that he had any interest in going through it. Thinking back to when he'd actually _run away_ from Thatch, he still couldn't believe the monster hadn't punished him for that.

_No, I'm not going to make our masters mad… not if I can help it_. Atche shivered at the thought as he watched his brother sleep on before looking out the window. The view outside was nice enough with a few trees and bushes here and there. They did nothing to hide the high wall that the sun peaked over, telling him it was sometime in the morning, but not too early. Part of him wanted to go out there and explore—it looked so welcoming—but he doubted it was a place meant for the likes of him. He was still looking out the window when Luhfi woke with a snort and stumbled his way into the other room, no doubt to relieve himself, before half climbing into his lap to look out as well. For a while neither said anything, just enjoying the peaceful moment, a moment that was ruined when they heard someone in the room next to theirs through the crack in the door. Atche turned to face the potential threat, making sure to keep Luhfi to the left of him and therefore further away from the door as he eyed it warily.

"_You really didn't have to do that, yoi._" Recognizing the voice, he dropped his gaze immediately as Marco walked into the room, followed by someone else. He watched the phoenix's chest carefully as he made his slow approach. "Ace, Luffy, _good morning._"

"_I really did have to, _Marco_. I can't believe you were letting them run around in those… those rags! Disgraceful!_" A swirl of soft pinks and blues and suddenly there was a stranger directly in Atche's line of sight, much, _much _too close. He tensed. _"Hello again, little—_ ," the stranger stopped looking at him, turning his head back towards the blond and giving the boys a clear view of the spot-like markings that lined his neck and hairline, "_what is wrong with them?_"

"_We told you… they were hurt._" Marco's voice was harsh and he couldn't help but flinch. There was a sigh. "_They weren't like this before, Izo. _Thatch_—he says we can fix this…_"

"_Well, I'm sure the idiot is right. It just means we'll have to take things slow, won't we?_" The new person took a step back and offered them a warm smile. "My name is Izo."

"Nice 'ta meet 'cha. I'm Luhfi—" His brother turned to stare at him wide-eyed, "Atche, he _spoke_!"

Atche was shocked himself and nodded hesitantly. "'Ello. 'M Atche…" he muttered half under his breath, looking anywhere but Izo.

"Mm. Can I call you Ace and Luffy?" Both boys nodded mutely, though he felt his brother deflate a little bit. Atche had expected it. _"Poor boys. I know you think the new names are for the best and I agree, _Marco,_ but they don't understand._"

"_Can you make them_?"

Izo shook his head in reply to whatever Marco had asked. _"Too young._" A sigh_,_ "_Much too young for this. You DID kill the bastard that hurt them?_"

"_Of course._"

"_Good._" Silver eyes skimmed between the two brothers before the man glanced away, taking a pile of cloth from Marco's waiting hands. He carefully placed the clothing on his knees and glanced up again, a smile on his face. "_Let's get these two properly dressed, shall we?_"

With great flare Izo picked up the items resting on his knees and held them up for the boys to see before draping them over Marco's arm. Atche was a confused about exactly what was going on, but he had to admit the clothing looked very nice, almost as nice as the things the stores sold in the village. Subtly glancing up at Marco, he caught what he _thought_ was an amused smirk on his face. Something was going on, something important, and he wished he knew what it was.

"Do you two like your new articles of clothing very much?" Izo asked, that same warm look in his eyes. Atche just stared at him blankly for a few seconds as he worked through exactly what the man had asked him. He knew it had to do with if they liked something or not, but he couldn't figure out what at first. Then it dawned on him that it was the clothes.

Unfortunately it didn't come to him faster. "You talk funny," Luffy innocently informed the man. He quickly covered his brother, offering Izo his back to take his anger out on.

"_What did he say? What's wrong?_" He flinched under Marco's tone, convinced he'd done something wrong.

"_Nothing, nothing, Marco. Calm down, you're making it worse._" Gentle fingers carded through his hair and Atche found himself leaning into the unfamiliar touch. "It is alright, little Ace. I am not going to harm you or your brother. I DO sound odd, don't I?" Cautiously he glanced over his shoulder to see Izo grinning, as if asking him to share in a joke.

Slowly he nodded as he unwrapped himself from around Luhfi. "A… a little."

"Izo,_ what was that about?_"

"_Oh, nothing. The little ones are just having some difficulty understanding me. Their language has undoubtedly changed in the last, oh, four hundred years or so. As _Luffy_ put it, I 'talk funny'_, Marco."

"_But, they understand _Thatch_ just fine_."

Izo snorted, looking over his shoulder at Marco. "_It's a similar dialect, and he only knows a few words. They're probably too young to notice the difference in a few words. If he spoke MORE, he'd lose them._"

"_...I don't get it._"

Izo's eye twitched, "_...And this is why WE are the human experts and you are not. Alright, we're going to teach your hatchlings our language and save us all a headache."_ He turned his attention back to the two brothers, "_And don't you go on about me calling them hatchlings, _Marco_. That's what they are; you're just going to have to get over it. Now. Lesson one. Clothes._" He offered them a brilliant smile, holding up one of the shirts. "Shirt. Shirt."

"Uh-huh. It's a shirt!" Luffy nodded, "Right Atche?"

"Right Lu. Shirt." He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"Good! Shirt, _shirt. Shirt._"

Atche _knew_ it; this man was trying to teach them _their_ words—their _language_. He swallowed convulsively and looked over at Marco, gaging his reaction. Marco was the one who'd… who'd _bought_ them… Even if Izo was strong, which he didn't doubt for a second, there was _no way_ he was going against their master. But at the same time, he wanted to _know,_ to _understand_. An almost silent whine escaped him as he waited to see how the blond would react to the other trying to teach them. Lazy-looking blue eyes stared at him in that unnerving way they did before the man offered one of his rare smiles. "Yes, Ace. Yes, Luffy. _It's alright, yoi._"

The other man had been silently watching the exchange, a soft look crossing his own face, _"Good job, _Marco." He looked back at the boys. "_Shirt."_

Atche swallowed again, still feeling like he was doing something wrong, "_S-shirt_…"

"_Shirt._ Did I say that right, Atche?" Luhfi's brown eyes darted from the shirt to him and back again as he nodded.

"Good! _Shirt!_" Izo handed both of them two shirts made of a soft material, even softer than the shirts they had been wearing before. "_They might be a little big, but you are growing. I will make you some more later. In colors that suit you._" He spoke as he made gestures for them to put of the shirts. They only hesitated for a moment before stepping out of the overly large almost-gowns they'd slept in and tugging them on. Atche had never before been so glad for the blankets that pooled in their laps when he realised suddenly that he and his brother were now unprotected from the waist down. _"Ah, yes, that could be a problem_. Small-clothes_, underpants. Underpants_." He held out what the boys instantly recognized as _clean_ small-clothes. Without holes in them.

"WOW! I can't remember the last time I got _new_ small-clothes, Atche!" Luhfi cheered, holding out a hand for the item. When it wasn't handed over right away he pouted. "Oh, right… uh… _unperandts?"_

"_Close."_ Izo's lips twitched, "_Un-der-pants."_

"_Underpants!" _The small piece of clothing vanished under the blankets as his little brother squirmed, no doubt pulling them on.

"_Your turn, _Ace." The other set was shaken gently.

He blushed, "_Underpants," _and they were handed over. Quickly he pulled them on as well.

"_Now for the hard part. _Marco, _hold these._" After handing two pieces of clothing to Marco, who was watching with a sort of bemused look on his face, Izo proudly shook out two pieces of clothing. "_Now, what do you want to wear, hatchlings? _Pants _or_ Skirt?" The way he held one out then the other made it kind of obvious what he was asking, though it was a bit of an odd question. Atche glanced over at Marco again before letting his gaze slide over to Izo. _Then again, THEY wear skirts…_ Izo held out the pants again, "_Pants?_" and then the skirt, "_Skirt?"_

Even Luhfi was able to figure out the question. "_Skirt!"_

"Don't you mean _'pants_', Lu? You know, pants?" Atche asked, staring openly at his brother.

"Nope! I wanna wear a skirt! I don't wanna wear, um, _pants_!"

"...Why?"

"Because then I don't have to take it off to go poop." Luhfi informed him like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Atche was stunned. The logic was so simple, so _Luhfi_, yet brilliant. If they didn't have to take the skirts off to go… they'd be warmer. _And, and… I bet I could use it like, like a bag to carry stuff, too…_ he mused while chewing his lip. "..._Skirt."_

Izo made a weird choking noise, the same one the villagers used to make sometimes when he and Lufhi were up to something. "_Oh dear…_ Ace, Luffy, Pants, yes? You like?"

"No. _Skirt!_" Luhfi frowned and pointed at the skirt.

"_Skirt._ No_ pants._"

"_Oh no. That's not a good enough reason to wear skirts, little ones._"

"_What reason?"_

"_Trust me _Marco_, you really don't want to know._" Izo shook his head, "Ace, Luffy, _pants, _YES. No Arguing. _Maybe when you're older we'll see about skirts."_ The man handed them each a pair of long pants in off-white which they put on with little fuss. _"I'll turn the skirts into those wide-legged pants you like so much, _Marco_. Maybe they'll like them._"

"_I don't see why you can't just let them wear skirts now_, Izo_. Being male shouldn't affect what they wear._"

"_Help me up._" Dusting his robes off, the dark-haired main poked Marco in the chest. "_Because, my dear bird, your little ones there are apparently too young to understand the beauty behind flowing fabric. They were more interested in the ease of relieving themselves._" Izo strode purposely towards the door, "_And I think _Ace_ was plotting something. No, better to wait until they're older._"

Marco had a small half-smile on his face as he looked between them and the man standing at the door. "_If you say so._" He held out his hand slowly, "Ace, Luffy, _come._"

He might not have exactly been sure of what the word meant, but he knew that gesture. Wearily Atche stood, holding tight to Luhfi's hand as he slunk over to Marco's side, being sure to keep his eyes fixed on the man's chest. When they were standing next to the man, he felt more than heard the man sigh before he took a step behind them, causing both boys to tense. Gentle hands smoothed their hair before guiding them to the very door Izo stood at. Atche was so focused on that hand and his brother next to him that he barely noticed when they were through the door. He didn't see the room past his panic, even _knowing_ Marco'd yet to hurt them. Except he'd left them with that dog-monster… When nothing bad happened he blinked, grey eyes taking in a neat, orderly room with two very comfortable-looking chairs next to a heavy table. Some sort of desk was in the corner near a fireplace, and there were two other doorways that he could see.

Izo was standing by one of the chairs, smiling at them, "Ace? Luffy? Come here? _Come here. Come._"

"Ohhh, So that's what Mr. Marco was saying…." Luhfi muttered, holding tight as the two of them approached.

"Good boys. I have something for the both of you." _Something else?_ "I know Thatch gave you some toys," _That's what they were?! _Atche accidently let his eyes slide up to Izo's in shock_, _"But I thought these would be more your speed."

Turning, Izo picked up two things from the chair. He was pretty sure they were dolls, but Atche had never seen _orange _ones before. Even as his brother practically snatched one out of Izo's hand he was more cautious, and continued his examination. It was definitely a doll, with two legs and arms, clothed in some kind of purple fabric that _really_ stood out against the orange. Still, it was much better made than the nicer-looking dolls he'd seen those snotty girls in the village with. It had _real_ button eyes, and it was _soft_, not hard and stiff like theirs were. Even better, Luhfi had discovered all the clothes came off, even the weird hat. Looking again at the face with its sewn-on smile and its large, curving _thing_ under its nose, he wondered if it was some kind of different type of monster, maybe a friendly one.

"Do you like them?" Izo asked.

"Mm!" Lu didn't even bother to look up from whatever game he'd invented, tugging on Atche's leg to get him to join him on the floor as he played. Atche did readily, ignoring the fact he really was too old for dolls.

"_I'll take that as a 'yes'. Why don't you go fix up their bed properly, _Marco?_ I'll watch them for you. If it stops drizzling maybe we'll even go into the garden._"

"_Are you sure?_"

"_Of course. Thatch is sleeping, let him rest. I have this._"

"_Thanks._" Marco crouched down next to them and Atche only tensed slightly, glancing up from the game Luhfi had made up. "_Be good, yoi. I'll be right over there, you two._" He smiled at them before getting up and going into the room they'd been in before, leaving the door open a crack.

Atche watched him go, a little nervous but comforted by the fact that he was only a room away and the door was open. It didn't feel like _before_, and Izo _seemed_ nice. He glanced at Izo, who'd opened some sliding panels to reveal the garden they could see from the room. The man stood, looking out as the soft hiss of rain offered a soothing backdrop. Atche glanced back down at what we was wearing. He couldn't remember the last time they'd had new clothes.

Suddenly his doll was thrust at him, "Atche, hold yours for a sec, ok? And when I say, have yours attack mine, 'kay?"

Atche just rolled his eyes, having only been half paying attention to whatever game Luhfi had made up. Still, his little brother was happy and that was what mattered most to him. "Alright, Lu."

Luhfi ignored him in favour of his doll, having it walk across the hardwood floor and climb up onto the chair before 'looking' around and returning to the floor again. He guessed it was on some kind of adventure, and knowing that, it might be a while before his doll was needed. Atche ran a hand over the bright orange fabric, marveling at how smooth it was. He didn't understand why they were being so nice to them, especially after leaving them with that _monster_, and giving them that bad food... but… but… he kind of liked it. Even if part of him whispered that it was a trick, he really hoped it wasn't. He'd do anything they wanted if they'd keep being nice. Being cared for felt _good._ Atche hugged his doll to his chest and buried his face into the surprisingly soft fabric so no one would see his smile.

"Ok Atche, your turn!" Looking at his happily smiling brother he grinned widely before throwing himself on top of the smaller boy, pinning him to the floor in a big hug, the two stuffed dolls trapped between them. Luhfi squealed in surprise before giggling wildly, "Atche! Aaaatche! Sttttooop it! You're doing it wrong!"

"Nu-uh! You said attack when you told me to."

"I said the doll, silly!"

"I am!" He waved the doll in his brother's face, both laughing before a twinge of pain brought him up short. Sitting up he waved the doll's hand at his brother, and then noticing Izo was watching, shyly ducked behind the doll's big body, peaking above its head. When the man smiled, he waved his doll's hand cautiously in return, smiling slightly himself.

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><p>Muffled whimpers caught his ears from the other room. They were so quiet, so soft, he almost missed them. His eyes scrolled up from the book he'd been reading—it was an old habit that settled his nerves—to stare into the hatchlings' doorway. He'd been unable to sleep, wondering if maybe they were the same. His chest tightened when he remembered the night terrors they experienced that first night they took care of them and, without a moment of thought, he found himself on his feet and heading into the room.<p>

Marco's eyes were quick to fall on Ace's quivering form. The boy was lying beside his brother who was clearly asleep, his back turned towards the blond and shoulders trembling slightly. At first he wondered if he was, perhaps, having a nightmare, and promptly made his way over. But upon closer investigation he noticed something different, something off about the way the child had his arms wrapped around himself. So the phoenix lowered himself to the ground.

Immediately Ace was alerted to his sitting, eyes flinging open to settle on him in fear. He was quick to raise placating hands.

"Shh," he cooed, "you're alright. I just wanted to see if you were okay yoi."

The boy relaxed a bit, looking far more worn than anyone his age ever should, but the moment was stolen by a broken whine that escaped his lips as he straightened his back, hissing through the sting of it.

Marco's eyes narrowed. _His back._

"Is it hurting again?" he questioned, not really expecting an answer. What was the word Thatch had taught him? _"Hurt?"_

Ace looked at him again, his eyes pleading as he nodded.

The phoenix didn't think as he cupped the boy's shoulder and legs or as he pulled him into his lap, that same feeling as earlier in the day taking over, a flood of instincts overriding his senses. He was careful to avoid what he saw to be the most damaged areas of the hatchling's back as he allowed him to recline in his arms. Big, grey eyes looked up at him, filled with tears and a mix of uncertainty and interest. Gently he began running the tips of his fingers along the abused back, careful to not get his talons caught on the fabric of the boy's shirt.

The rhythm was soothing. Soon enough Ace's eyelids were fluttering and he leaned into the touch, reaching down to grab his doll and hold it close to his chest. A sudden whiff assaulted Marco's nose, a mesh of his own scent, Izo's and Thatch's, and he smiled. _So that's why he used our pillows._

"Rest, hatchling. It'll be better in the morning."

Ace nuzzled against his chest, curling further unto himself as his eyes drifted shut.

For once, Marco didn't mind having a human so close.

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><p><strong>Chapter Notes<strong>

**Smallclothes: This is an old old term for underpants. It's very archaic, but you'll run across it in fantasy stories sometimes.**

**Also, about the mythos. It's important to remember that they are, essentially, not like humans. Their instincts are a big part of them, so much so that they can dictate their actions. In the chapter, Marco is treating the boys almost like his own hatchlings, but he doesn't feel that way about them. His instincts are telling him to raise and protect them because of their ages and the abuse they suffered. That's why he's acting the way he is, not because he's warmed up to them. He still feels that anxiety and the same level of disgust, but he can't keep himself away, so it's very draining and stressful for him. I just thought I'd straighten that out because I'm not sure if anyone'll be confused by it. To summarize: Marco isn't actually getting closer to the kids, but he feels compelled to treat them like he is, to even baby them, because of WHAT he is. Hope that clears up any confusion!**

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><p><strong>To our lovelies~<strong>

**LostFairyMantic: (B) Fashionably late, that is. Hey, Anj, you hear that? We're favourite authors… Each chapter is a lot of work, and we have something like 3 FULL google docs worth of notes now. (A) Hehe we're favourites~ This story's… big. It kinda grew out of proportion real fast. We're still writing the intro e_e;**

**ghanathesaiyan4: (B) Yeah, the adults are all shocked too. Can't really blame Thatch; how was he to know those herbs would do that to humans? (A) Yep, they're still not fully believing it. As Beddy said, really not Thatch's fault, he couldn't have known XD**

**Magic Morgana: (B) There will be more on the whole Human/Mythos dynamic later in the story. I can't say more without Anj being pissed at me XD. I'm not sure if Izo's going to tell Marco that. If he does, I doubt it would be right away. Poor bird is stressed enough. As for who I like to write…. I like writing Thatch! He's just such a goof, and I love his personality. (A) What she said. In fact, a LARGE portion of the story deals with the human/mythos dynamic. And the history will be talked about too. Smart move not saying anything, Beddy :P You flatter us though /o_o/ They're learning~ But it's a slow process XD I… kinda stress when I write them because I'm worried they don't match up to Beddy's portrayals, so I don't really pay attention to which I enjoy best :'D Probably Thatch, though.**

**BloodyMoonEclyps: (B) It is going to be a while before the boys meet Whitebeard. But we have plans for that. Thanks for the love! (A) They're kids for a reason, like a big one (Shhhh) and actually, when Beddy had the dream that became this story she imagined them being teenagers. Needless to say, things changed XD**

**CrazySarahify: (B) They were fun to write. Honestly though, I've never been drunk, only buzzed, so Anj and I had to rewrite parts a few times based off of SEEING people that wasted. (A) Yeah, I've never been drunk either, but my mom was a drunk, so I had that for reference. But they ended up a mix of that and high XD He's not really warming up to them the way you'd think (or hope). It's actually an instinct thing, not a "growing attached" thing, as mentioned in the chapter.**

**CrazySarahify (2): (B) Thatch just fit the role of the tiger so well. I'm probably always going to think of him as that now. (A) I was actually the one who suggested him being the tiger, and Bed was like "What? Why?!" I'll never let her live that down because it's perfect for him XD Again, just keep in mind that what happened to the boys is a product of the culture they live in, not just them. They're just normal people… er, mythos.**

**Blueh: (B) Late is better than no review. Izo...I can't say much, but we'll be seeing a lot more of him. As for the other Commanders, you'll have to wait and see. (A) Late is always better than never! Yes, Oyaji's in the same compound. Lol well you can pronounce them however you want XD**

**WeevilOne: (B) They were very sticky! We really should do a short about Ligi getting eaten. (A) We are NOT writing a short about him getting eaten. Don't you get me started. Guess you'll have to wait and see about what the surprise in chapter 6 is ;)**

**bloodytears87: (B) It took him a while, but he got it eventually. (A) Glad you like!**

**Missy anon: (B) Thank you very much! Here's the next update. (A) Marco's reactions to the boys throughout the story is fun to write :)**

**BeyondMyReach: (B) Thanks! We put a lot of work into it, and I hope that this chapter lived up to your expectations. (A) Hope you enjoyed~**

**Aerle: (B) Originally they were going to be drunk off the berries, and then stoned...So we went with stoned/high. Some of the people I knew in college got very weird on drugs. It really depends which you use, I guess. Unfortunately, as you can see it lead to two steps back in the trust department. (A)Lol if anyone I'd be pissed at Marco for leaving them in a household he KNOWS is prejudice against humans. I'd say it's a mix of drunk/high. It's not exactly one or the other, originally they were drunk but we found this more appropriate in the end. Izo's role is big, though not as big as Thatch's or Marco's. But you'll see more of that further in. As for the commanders, you'll really have to wait and see. You don't have to force yourself to write long reviews, you know XD**

**Simply-forsaken: (B) How long is this going to be… Oh gods, very long. And we shoot for 10,000 words each chapter, so it's going to be a monster. (A) I guarantee it'll be over 500K. I guarantee it. We're still just writing the INTRO to the story. The major conflicts haven't even been introduced yet! What Ligi put the boys through? That was barely an introduction. It was certainly a dramatic start, but while their recovery will be a constant theme it's not the primary focus of the story. So you don't have to worry about that :)**

**scatteredPhilosopher: (B) Poor Thatch, everyone expects stuff like this from him. (A) The mythos and clan-related things is a lot of fun to write :) Izo's old, right, but even for mythos, knowing a language other than their own is very rare. Thatch is a big exception to that XD Well, you wouldn't be wrong about him "mothering" them, as you saw from this chapter, but… little more to it than that XD**

**Star Josherson: (B) Haha! You've been converted. Now go forth and convert more….or just continue to enjoy the story. (A) I love reviews like this XD "I didn't expect much, BUT-" Makes me happy. Thanks you, hope you keep enjoying!**

**Fruitstogether: (B) We'll be seeing more of Izo, that's for sure. And yes, the boys were THAT high/drunk. Keep in mind they're young, and Luffy WAS grabby in the first chapter NOT drugged. (A) Yeah, honestly, the drugs made them loopy but they also made them act more like they did before the abuse because it temporarily freed them of their fears and anxiety. Luffy was very fond of touch, so him doing something like that (he doesn't understand it's socially unacceptable) wouldn't have been that surprising.**

**Bard of Chaos: (B) We're trying to keep the pacing as believable as possible. Eventually Marco'll find out. (A) Thatch isn't really bothered by the touch himself, though he's not used to it so large amounts can get exhausting. He's not put off by it the way Marco is. He'll get used to it, though, eventually. Them suddenly being fine with it would have been too much, you're right. And Marco himself barely tolerates them being there, though he's trying.**

**Nugni: (B) Well, each chapter is really long, so it takes time to write. More time since there are two writers and we have to go over everything AFTER we're done to make sure it all flows and fits together right. (Though Anj does the FINAL one to catch spelling errors and such) Not to mention we both have our own stories to write. But we update when we can. As for Izo… check out the awesome art Anj did on our Tumblr blog for this story. (A) We're not updating faster, sorry :P It takes soooo much time and effort to get our scenes done, and then half the time we have to revise them because the other doesn't like something XD And then the day we upload I go through and proof read it again. Izo doesn't have a shell, but towards his spine his bone and skin merge so it feels shell-like, and the spine is ridged like one. (Don't check out the drawing, it's crap, I'll make a new one when I have time)**

**Ghostunderasheet: (B) Welcome to the story! It was hard to write those parts...Anj made me do it! I swear. (A) Bullshit! You were more than happy to write them! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! You're welcome and don't worry, we don't plan on dropping it ;)**

**alynawatlovers: (B) They are very young. (A) Well, what did they say?**

**PhantoMNiGHT321: (B) Marco has reasons for being the way he is. (A) Yep, and he's not gonna be very open to being with them, but he's trying. That counts for something.**

**caring16: (B) Sorry, we're all out of berries. The guys ate the rest. (A) No. Bad. No berries for the human.**

**sairakanzaki: (B) Took him long enough, right? (A) Here's an update.**

**Justa Little Puppy: (B) Izo isn't mad for no reason…. but he knows when to put it to the side. Remember that mythos live a LONG LONG time, and Thatch is considered odd that he likes humans (I'm sure I'm about to get yelled at….) (A) Beddy, hush! Izo has a reason for being upset. Don't worry about it for now. Yes, Thatch finds it weird they're so young too. Don't seem it, do they? I'm glad you enjoyed it, we had fun with it XD Thatch… Well, yes actually. We weren't hiding it, but you're honestly the ONLY person who actually caught it, or at least the only one that mentioned it. Thatch used to eat humans. I will not deny this :'D But I don't think that's the greatest reason to like Izo more, Thatch is a good guy despite that XD We're one chapter closer to the surprise in 6~**

**Tinnis: (B) Everyone is so excited about Izo! (A) He's a new reader favourite XD**

**Molly Grace 16: (B) Things will be changing for the boys, that's for sure. (A) What direction that is, though… you'll just have to see.**

**xxXxx: (B) Thank you. (A) Glad you like.**

**zealousfreak27: (B) First, thanks for suggesting this story to other people! Second, don't get in trouble for reading this story! Though if you DO draw attention to yourself reading… please get them to read it too. Glad we could make your day better. (A) Pfft that's adorable XD I'm glad to hear you were that excited about it. Thank you, I wasn't sure how well I did with him :D You're welcome, hun.**

**uchiha-sakura193: (B) Well, he's the youngest. He'll get away with lots, I'm sure. (A) Luffy's Luffy. Even as bratty as he is, people can't be mad at him.**

**TheAnalei: (B) HEY! They didn't KNOW it was gonna happen. Marco's trying. He really is. Poor bird. (A) It really just shows how little they know about humans, even Thatch the human lover. Things like this are bound to happen when you don't have knowledge on who/what you're caring for, right? Marco's doing all he' capable of. That doesn't mean things will go well the whole way through, but he's trying.**

**Frostheart D. Blaize: (B) I have been stalked! EEP! Lol, bring it on. Thank you~... As for Marco's breeding habits...well… *cough* Poor Thatch is never going to live this down. Which dialog? Because, Anj is responsible for most of the drugged rabeling. (A) ...Let's keep Marco's breeding out of this. For now. And his hatchlings, well, Ace has a point. Newborn birds kinda look like monsters XD Poor Thatch, getting all this backlash from his one mistake :'D Well this chapter was epic for me, because we got to introduce a theme I have fun with, but I'm not sure if you guys'll think so XD What dialogue? We each wrote it into our own scenes, though Beddy took some rambling from me. We like to share our writing XD**

**neverfall16: (B) It was fun writting them like that. (A) Here's more!**

**Fairy of the Friz: (B) You'll have to wait and see about the boy's past. It will come up, eventually. (A) ...Eventually XD Ah, my favourite word returns. Their past that involves the hair braiding and the "picking up chicks" thing should be explained sooner than the majority of it, though.**

**Rheassa: (B) Yes, we were done, but we had to go over everything a few times to edit it. (A) And I just didn't wanna post it right away, I'll be honest :P We've started on 6, too.**

**pilvenpiirtaja: (B) Thanks for the love. There will be many chapters that'll probably tug at your heart-strings, I'm sure. (A) Oh yeah, if the early stuff made you cry or upset at all then the later stuff definitely will *cough* We've got some happier stuff in between, though. Thanks for telling us how much you like it :)**

**Aille: (B) Anj is a BIG Izo fan. Thatch will be much more careful in the future. Honest mistake this time. I'm glad you liked the chapter! (A) I am? I'm not THAT big of an Izo fan, I just really like his backstory in this fic! Honest! *cough* Yep, he'll be more careful, especially with Izo breathing down his neck. I'm glad you enjoyed those parts!**

**Ireadtomuch: (B) The 4 saint beasts is actually a Chinese legend that carried over to Japan and Korea. Yuu Yuu hakusho isn't the only show to feature it, but it did a good job. (Digimon features it as well). Just so everyone knows, we are being very careful with how we deal with what has happened to the boys and how they'll cope. I myself have a degree in Animal behavior, which is a psychology major. LOTS of classes on human behavior. Anj as well is taking many psych classes. So we are both very much working on keeping this as realistic and accurate as possible. (A) Yeah, I'm going in for cognitive-behavioural psych, so while I'm still learning I think together Beddy and I can pull it off. We're being careful about it, and hopefully everything will turn our believable. BUT, in addition to that, a BIG thing that'll affect their behaviour and views will be their upbringing. You guys don't know about it yet, but I'll just say that it plays a major part in how they're going to act. In a lot of ways.**

**samettikettu: (B) Yeah, class time might not be the best time to read this~ (A) Glad you like!**

**As always, thank you all SO much for your support! Reading your reviews and finding out what you thought, how the chapters made you feel, it really means a lot to us. Just thanks so much for that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please remember to tell us what you think and we'll see you again soon!**

***Chapter quote byJane Wagner**

**Adieu~**


	6. A Fear of Rejection is a Fear of Love

_**Chapter Quote: "One's fear of rejection is one's fear of love."**_

_**Bedlam: I am never writing anything ever again. No, really Anj, I mean it. You almost killed me with this one! it's over 20,000 words with the note, and then we add the A.N and the reviews, and by the gods….*flails* In all seriousness this chapter was both fun and frustrating to write. Then it just kept freaking growing and growing...then we got stuck. Then it grew some more….And now it's done. Don't expect another monster like this, and don't try to read it in one sitting. Or without tissues. On a more personal note, *I* might not have a chance to do much writing in the next month. There's a lot going on, so things are a little crazy for me right now. Just letting everyone know.**_

_**Anjelle: You're the one who made it so bloody long! So yeah, put simply… I may be writing most of the chapter for next month's update *is feeling the pressure* But hopefully I won't disappoint too much. On that note, Bedlam is no longer allowed to handle the heavy scene's because she goes overboard. I shall succeed her. (She doesn't know this yet, shhh)**_

_**Warnings for self harm, though not the kind of self harm you'd typically find in fanfics.**_

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><p>Atche decided he liked the garden.<p>

He wasn't sure exactly how many days passed since they were brought to that strange place. He and Lu took lots of naps, so there were times when night and day meshed together into one incoherent mess, leaving him more confused when he woke than when he slept. Until then he had been too sore to do much moving around and took to staying within the walls of that one secluded room deep inside the building with his brother. They weren't bothered much and, other than Thatch, Marco, and occasionally Izo, they hadn't seen anyone. He was happy for that. The monster from before hadn't been shy about dragging them around in front of others by the chains of their collars. Marco may have confused him with his constant back-and-forth treatment of them, but he hadn't _hurt_ them, really, just… confused them.

From the slight porch overlooking the grassy plains of the open courtyard, Atche watched with a slight smile as Luhfi ran around. The boy wasn't as hurt so he was recovering well, and it was nice to see his energy returning. Atche, himself, was starting to feel some of the pain in his back diminishing. His neck still itched as it healed, and he involuntarily whimpered every time one of the monsters tended to it, as the pressure from their fingertips was enough to bring back the aching, but it was getting better. Slowly.

Luhfi giggled as he rolled across the grass, landing on his back to stare up at the bright sky. He seemed to like the garden, too. And as Atche shifted his weight, felt the blades of grass between his toes, coated with fresh morning dew, he felt his smile grow. It was nice to be outside again, to feel the dirt and the wind. They were allowed out before but-

...But not like this.

The boys were alone, as they always were in the small hours of day. It seemed Marco had a habit of rising at dawn, but it was rare for him to join them so early. Thatch checked on them during the night-he caught him once when he couldn't sleep-and Izo appeared at random. He knew that if he opened the door on the far end of the room and turned into it he'd find Marco's bedroom, and someone was normally in the outer sitting room, so they were never really alone. If they got scared they could find someone. But for now, it was nice to quietly take on the day.

Luhfi bounced back up, crossing the courtyard to stop at the trunk of one of the big, old trees off to the side. His eyes gleamed with piqued interest and immediately his brother knew that his attention caught on the pinkish fruit amidst its branches. A hand reached out, trying to grab at a nub in the wood, and Atche was to his feet and beside his sibling in an instant, cautioning him against climbing. He remembered what happened last time-the snap of the branch as the boy's small body plummeted downward towards the stone walkway before being immersed in a sea of blue and yellow flames, grabbed by talons strong enough to _break him_.

Luhfi didn't think of it the same way he did, his large, dark eyes finding their way to the elder boy's face in a displeased pout. "I'll be careful!" he assured, referencing his last attempt.

Atche heaved a sigh, carding his hand through his little brother's hair. "No, Lu."

"But Atche!" the child whined, kicking the dirt with his bare feet. They hadn't been given shoes, yet; Izo mentioned something about sandals the night before, if he remembered correctly.

"You're still hurt. We don't wanna make it worse, right?"

"Right…" Luhfi murmured in clear reluctance, his downturned face staring absently at their legs. "But I'm hungry."

The elder pulled his mouth taut. He wasn't sure when their next meal was. Thatch was consistent in bringing them food, so while he still didn't know why they were there he was certain they'd be fed. But he didn't know when that was. And as though to mock him, his stomach decided on then to release a loud, desperate growl.

Atche looked up, faced the tree with hesitant eyes. The bark was a pretty white, a lot like the one at the place where Marco met them and took them from the monster. The leaves were a bright, vibrant red colour, though, which was different from that other tree. Its stunning appearance drowned out the browns and greens of the backdrop, and he had to take a moment to admire it. But it didn't last long and he stepped forward, wedging his foot into an imperfection in the bark to heave himself upward. His body stretched, arm straightening to grab two fruits on a low branch by their stems before hopping back down, wincing as the impact sent a mild shiver of pain through the more damaged parts of his body. He was quick to hand one off to his brother who beamed up at him with the biggest, warmest smile he could manage. Atche caught himself mimicking the look.

"Shishishi, thank you, Atche!" the boy exclaimed, opening his mouth wide to take his first bite.

"Wait," he commanded, turning back to the tree when he saw that he successfully stopped his sibling. Vaguely he could recall Marco giving them fruit from that tree the day they arrived there, though he remembered little else, so he was sure they were safe to eat. But there was one more thing they had to do before helping themselves. "Remember what Mama told us?"

The boy blinked questioningly before realisation crossed his face and he looked at the tree as well. They bowed in unison, Atche vaguely hearing the distant sound of someone entering the inner sitting room.

"Thank you, Mr. Tree!" Luhfi sang cheerily, rising abruptly to take his first bite.

"Thank you," Atche followed in a murmur, straightening his back as well. He raised the fruit to his face, his brows knitted together as he studied it. It looked… different, somehow. He couldn't quite place what had changed but-

"Luffy, no," chastised a male voice from behind. Atche spun to face the sound in time to see his brother's fruit snatched from his hand, an upset-looking blond glowering down at them. He was quiet as he shrunk back, Luhfi clinging to him in search of security, and they shut their eyes tightly in wait of punishment. But instead they heard a sigh.

"_These aren't safe, yoi. They're deadly."_ Marco knelt before them as Atche peeked from behind his eyelids, his robes of orange and red floating gently to the ground. A hand reached out to cup Lu's chin, narrow blue orbs looking him over carefully. "_Are you okay? Do you feel sick, or-"_

Atche jumped when the blond gaped at him, staring at the fruit still clutched tightly between his fingers. He immediately threw his hand forward, forcing the object as far away from him as his tiny limb could manage, and waited for it to be taken. "Sorry!"

But seconds ticked by and it remained firm in his grasp.

Marco studied it, then the one in his own hand, turning it quizzically before smiling at their uncertainty. "_It seems the tree has taken a liking to you, yoi."_ When he pointed at the skin of the fruit the children leaned in, blinking as they tried to see what he was showing them. They didn't get it, though, and he stood to his full height, holding it up to a bunch of still-hanging fruit. Atche gaped slightly as he noticed a clear colour difference in the ones they had picked, slowly starting to understand what he was saying. "No safe."

His eyes widened.

"Atche," Luhfi's eyes turned to him, "Is he saying they're bad? Am I in trouble?"

The elder boy swallowed thickly. He almost fed his brother something dangerous. "I… I think they are, Lu."

"Is he mad at us?"

There was no answer as Marco knelt once more and handed the object to the youngest child with a smile. "Safe, _yoi. Whatever you did, the tree accepted it. You can eat." _

Lufhi looked between the mythos and his brother in confusion.

"It's okay, Lu." He took a bite from his own as an example, humming at the sweet tang of its juice. "See?"

That infamous grin returned and the child all too eagerly accepted the proffered fruit, both feeling clawed hands carding gently through their hair. Atche blushed at the treatment, peeking at the man from behind the curtain of his bangs. He'd begun to notice a bit of a pattern in how everyone acted around them, the way they babied each boy and acted like they could barely walk. He wondered if that had something to do with them being injured, or if it had more to do with what they wanted from them. He was still unsure of that.

Marco stood again, gesturing them over to the porch where they sat and continued to eat, the bird himself taking to the low table within the sitting room where a cup of what Atche could only guess was tea sat in waiting. The sliding doors were kept wide open and offered a clear view of the blond from where they sat. He liked that; it meant they weren't alone but were still given their space.

The phoenix was a bit of an enigma to Atche; he treated them well, the boy would go so far as to say warmly-which he refused to let get to him, because giving them his trust was sure to end badly-but then, on occasion, he'd… well, he'd _hiss _at them. There was really no other way to put it. It was some animalistic noise that cautioned them away, warned them that he didn't want to be bothered. The presence of such a trait felt out of place. Atche knew he was a bird, a _phoenix_, but he carried himself so proudly, with such undeniable dignity that sometimes he would forget. Out of all the mythos he'd seen, that one most closely resembled a human.

Atche blinked, looking around. Where'd Luhfi go?

He found the boy hurrying to Marco's side and he really hoped the blond wasn't in one of his moods-he had bouts where he didn't like to be touched and during those times he was easy to aggravate. The bird had never lost his temper with them, but Atche feared one day he might.

And he would do anything to keep Master happy.

Blue eyes scrolled up to Luhfi, quizzically staring at the boy's grin in silence. "_What is it, little one?"_ He faced the table briefly, contemplatively, before turning back. "_Thatch should be here soon, if you're hungry."_

Suddenly the boy bowed low, mimicking his actions from earlier. "Thank you, Mr. Marco!"

The phoenix blinked, tilting his head ever so slightly. "Th-thank…?" A stretching few moments passed before he seemed to make sense of the words. "_Thank you, yoi? For what?"_

Lu just kept grinning, with no real understanding of what Marco had said. Atche would have helped, if he'd known the words himself. All he knew for certain was that it was a question. But the blond didn't seem to be really expecting an answer as he gently carded his hand through Luhfi's hair once more, causing the boy to giggle at the affection. He seemed to like the man, for whatever reason. But when Marco sighed, the elder brother felt his chest clench, worrying that they might have upset him. The mythos's temper wasn't short but he never knew when his attitude would change.

"_I hate feeling this way, yoi,"_ the bird murmured as his hand fell away, and he allowed it when Luhfi seated himself against his side. "_I suppose it's good for you boys, though, isn't it? That I want to care for human hatchlings like you?"_

Atche allowed himself to settle, deciding the man sounded more tired than angry. When a clawed hand beckoned him closer he was reluctant to comply, the usual anxiety flaring up within him, but seeing his brother perfectly content next to the phoenix he found himself crawling over, taking a seat at one of the table's adjacent sides. It was quiet except for the cry of cicadas echoing in from the open doors, but by no means was it as awkward as it used to be. He peeked over at the pair to see Luhfi hobbling onto the monster's lap and playing with his nails, never once receiving protest. That was different, too; before Marco would tense and pull away. While the tension was still there, when he was in one of his good moods it never lasted. He just wasn't all that bothered by it. And Atche wasn't sure what to make of that.

The door at the far end of the room slid open to reveal the two others that cared for them, one carrying in trays of rich-smelling foods and the other a set of folded, red robes. He couldn't see much of them even as Izo neared, but they looked beautiful-rich in colour and craftsmanship. They weren't the types of things meant for him.

Marco seemed to recognise them right away, looking at the long-haired man with narrowed eyes as Thatch placed the food on the table.

"_What is it?"_

Izo huffed and Atche's worry returned, even as the redhead tried to keep his attention and the sweet aroma of breakfast billowed about the room. "_The servants were notified that Dragon's on his way. He's coming to see you, _Marco."

"_What?"_ Atche flinched at the sharpness of his tone, gesturing Lufhi away from him. He wrapped a protective arm around his little brother, giving worried glances to his caretaker. He did _not_ look pleased. "_Why, yoi?"_

"_Might be because of that meeting you missed,"_ Thatch chimed as he set the table, placing a bowl and plate in front of each child. "_You didn't give him any warning you'd be absent. It was about Seiryu, right?_ Hungry?" The boys blinked at the sudden attention, watching the man's grin stretch with their nods. As he removed the lids from the containers he'd brought, Atche could make out the stripes and bands on his wrists from behind the puff of steam.

Marco stood with an aggravated sigh, pressing the pads of his fingers to his temple. "_They haven't found the next incarnation yet, so they've been concerned yoi. That still doesn't give him the authority to invite himself into our territory whenever he pleases."_

"_True," _the redhead replied with a curt nod, looking away as Atche hesitantly reached a hand towards the markings on his wrist. He'd gotten used to the idea of Thatch and Izo having them-the latter's were almost impossible to ignore, as the splotches of black ran down the sides of his face and neck and disappeared beneath his clothes-but he'd kept from touching them. After a few days, though, he was starting to get curious. Last time he'd been too nervous to bother remembering what they'd felt like. Smooth, maybe…

When the tips of his fingers brushed the man's skin and that smiling face was back to looking at him he immediately reeled his arm back and stared into his lap. A pat to his head was quick to greet him, and he looked up to soft eyes. He decided to try again later-if he felt confident enough.

"_But he was probably worried,"_ Thatch continued as he ladled out some soup, moving quickly onto serving the eggs. _Eggs, huh?_ He wondered if that bothered the master at all, being a… well, being what he was. Glancing at the man he saw that Marco wasn't even paying it any mind, instead standing up to Izo. "_You've never been absent before, have you?"_

"_Not in the recent century, no, yoi."_ The dark-haired man held up the fine robes of silk, allowing the bottom corners to fall to the floor. Atche gaped, taking in the careful, intricate golden patterns of the embroidery woven through it, his mind flashing back to a night long ago in shackles and chains, put on display before a crowd of monsters with no food or water. He remembered that cloth, the regalia from their first encounter with the phoenix, but he'd almost forgotten.

"_And there's my point, Featherhead."_

Izo huffed as he held the robe against the bird's chest. "_The sleeve's starting to tear. Remind me to mend it later."_

"_Besides,"_ Thatch continued, undeterred by the interruption as he poured them each a drink. He was happy to note that they were starting to expand on the variety of things they were feeding them. It made him a little scared, too, wondering when the next strange, new food would do something weird to them. He hoped he at least remembered it next time. So long as he did, and so long as they didn't hurt Lu, he'd tolerate it. "_You knew the last Seiryu, didn't you?"_

The anger and irritation seemed to lift from his face and his eyes closed, sound fading into a still silence. "_Long ago, yes." _The elder boy had to fight to keep himself from fidgeting over the awkwardness, instead bringing his focus to the food placed in front of him. Lu had already started, certainly the more trusting of the two. "_...I called her a friend, before my last rebirth. By the time I was brought to these lands by Father, she was gone."_

The air felt heavy, thick, and for a moment he lost his appetite. Even if they hadn't eaten since last evening, he couldn't bring himself to pick up his utensils. Marco looked distant, and the tone he was using was sad. He'd been focused on keeping the monster pleased more than he was on how he felt.

"_We could have watched the cubs while you were gone, you know,"_ Thatch stated with a sigh. "Ace, eat. You are hungry?"

Atche blinked. That was the first time he had worded it like that. Flicking his eyes towards Izo, he wondered if maybe he was teaching the redhead as well. The pronunciation was a little sloppy, and the way it was said awkward, but he doubted it was worse than their poor attempts at the mythos language.

He wondered if they'd developed an accent.

"_Yes," _he replied nervously, his stomach fluttering as he tried to recall what he'd learned, "Atche _hungry, yoi."_

Suddenly he had three mythos staring at him with wide eyes. He was quick to duck his head, attempt to high behind the table. Had he said something wrong? Did he use the wrong word? He _did_ tell them he was hungry… right?

Thatch was the first to break the silence, snorting in amusement as he held back a fit of laughter, the phoenix quick to turn and glare at him, which only made his giggles more erratic. Atche peeked from behind the table, observing them quietly as Izo sighed and the other men continued on as they were.

"Atche?" his brother called, briefly pulling his attention away from the adults. "What's Thatchy laughing at?"

The elder blinked. _Thatchy?_ But he didn't address it and instead straightened himself with false bravado to hide his fear from his sibling. The last thing he wanted was for Luhfi to feed off his anxiety. "I'm not sure, Lu."

Finally the redhead's fit settled and he managed to catch his breath, a sloppy grin on his face. "_I can't believe he said that. That's precious."_

"_Shut up, yoi."_

"_You're encouraging him by saying it, you know."_

"_..."_

Through the fading conversation of the others, Izo handed off the silk robes to Marco and approached the humans, smiling as he knelt in front of them. "That word is not real, Ace."

Not real? "_...Hungry?"_ Did he pronounce it _that_ badly?

The man shook his head, tucking a few stray strands behind his ear that had been obscuring the markings along his face. Now they stood stark against ivory skin, the monochrome colours only offset by the red hints of makeup on his face. "_Yoi_."

The boy furrowed his brow and exchanged looks with his brother who showed equal confusion. That couldn't be right; he'd heard Marco use it countless times since they were taken from those snake people and the smelly, round man.

"But it's gotta be," Luhfi chimed, stepping forward, "right Atche?"

Hesitantly he nodded.

Glancing up, he saw Marco wordlessly exit the room, never once bothering to look back at them. He'd notice over the brief twenty-something minutes the blond's mood had turned sour, but he forced himself not to address it. Hopefully whatever was bothering him would be resolved by the time he came back.

"It isn't," Izo stated firmly, leaving no room to argue. "It is a bit of an… auditory compulsion of my brother's."

Auditory… Did he mean a verbal tic? But it didn't sound like one to Atche-and wait, did he say they were brothers? Was Izo a phoenix, too? But that wasn't the current issue.

"It _is_," Luhfi insisted in his stead, fists balled and pout facing the man to make his displeasure known. The look was quick to fall from the boy's face, though, replaced with the highest levels of concentration his young mind could manage. Atche had an idea what he was trying to do. "_It good yoi. Yes. Yoi good."_

And Atche had to smile, seeing how hard his baby brother was trying. Couldn't let the brat best him, could he? "_It is good yoi. Much good."_

Izo went to sit at the table, his head resting in his hand as amusement crossed his face. "I am most glad to see you recall your lessons, however that doesn't make it correct…" The man glanced over at Thatch, a faint smile on his lips. "_They think it's a word, and I can't convince them otherwise."_

"_Ah, leave 'em," _the redhead replied with a wave as he started on his own breakfast. "_They're not hurting anybody with it."_

It wasn't hard to figure out what they were discussing, and when both sets of eyes were on him he had to ask, "_Yoi good?"_

Thatch just laughed as Izo nodded, "Yes. _Go right ahead and use it, cub. We won't stop ya."_

Satisfaction washed over him as he and Luhfi grinned at each other, and his stomach was quick to voice a reminder that he hadn't touched his breakfast yet. He looked down at the steaming bowl and plate, at stew that was far richer than what they'd been given when they first met the man, and his smile grew. Thatch was a really great cook, maybe even as good as Mama. It was tough to make that statement since he hadn't eaten her cooking in so long, but he stood by it. If it wasn't for the risk of it doing something to him, he might have been grateful. He noticed Thatch never ate what he fed them, his diet instead consisting of a large variety of meat-and Atche couldn't help but wonder if any of it was human, he was a monster after all-and was sure it had to do with what they were using them for… whatever that may had been.

Nevertheless, he started eating.

The stew was delicious, going down especially easy despite the additions to it that, to his pleasure, made it more than just broth. It was thick and creamy, sliding down his throat effortlessly, and he was quickly onto the raw vegetables on his plate. Glancing over at Luhfi, he noticed his little brother had licked everything clean, moving onto the hard-boiled eggs. That boy's appetite never ceased to amaze him. Soon he found himself doing the same, reaching for one of the eggs and taking his first bite. His stomach knotted at the first taste and he had to wonder why, mentally preparing himself for some strange side-effects to show themselves.

A tug at his sleeve had him halting, wide, brown eyes staring up at him. "Atche, my tummy hurts."

He swallowed, glancing down to see a small hand clutching an equally tiny stomach. _Please no._ "Did you eat too fast?" he tried, hoping it was that. When his only response was a shrug he finished eating the egg and pulled his sibling into his lap, running smooth circles along his back.

Thatch was quick to notice, his head raising from his palm as he finished the last of his meat. "_What is it, cubs? Is something wrong? _Hurt?"

That last word had Atche furrowing his brows, rage bubbling beneath his skin. How _dare _he? How _dare_ he ask that when he was the one who fed it to them? _Shit_. He couldn't hold back. He knew he shouldn't, but-

"This is _your_ fault," he bit out, unable to contain his choice words as his brother clutched tighter to his robes. The man blinked at him in shock, but he wasn't about to stop. "What do you _want_ from us? Is it fun making us sick?"

"Atche…" Immediately his eyes were on the tiny form huddled in his arms and his expression softened, seeing the pain seep through Luhfi's expression. "I feel sick…"

His breaths were shaky, uneasy, and he reached for the glass of water still resting on the tabletop. "Here," he whispered, "drink."

Thatch seemed to ignore his outburst which, while thankful he wasn't being punished, he still didn't understand _why_. The people bought and sold in the village were _always_ reprimanded when they went against their owners, and Marco had bought them, right?

"_Hey, cub,"_ a hushed voice started only a breath away from his face, and he looked up worriedly as his own stomach started to turn, the onset of whatever ailed his brother forming in his gut. "Hurt? Sick?"

His mouth twitched, any strength he had left to argue fading from his body, and nodded. Thatch promptly responded by gathering them both in his arms, ignoring the involuntary flinches they both provided, and making soothing sounds as he held them close.

"_Sorry, boys. Guess we're moving your diet along too fast; humans must heal slower than I thought. I bet the eggs were too rich. Damn it, should've known." _The man grabbed the glass from Luhfi's hand and gave it to Atche, allowing him a sip of water before returning it to the table. "_You'll be alright. I don't think you had enough to make yourselves sick; you'll just be nauseous for a while. I'll keep an eye on you just incase, though."_

Clawed fingers tangled themselves in a mess of black hair as he closed his eyes, allowing the silence to take him over as he tried to forget the pain.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later the boys were feeling marginally better. Apparently whatever they ate wasn't as bad as last time, because other than feeling sick nothing happened. For a while he thought he was going to throw up everything he'd eaten, but now there was just this constant jabbing pressure in his gut. It didn't make him feel weird or forget what was going on, though he was sure he wasn't going to be able to eat eggs for a long time afterwards. Thatch had stayed with them the whole way through, taking care of them, and Atche admitted that maybe he regretting snapping at them because of more than the simple fear of punishment. Despite the things he fed them he… <em>seemed<em> to care, and he didn't really react negatively when the children did something that would have been considered unacceptable. Marco he still wasn't sure about, but Thatch…

For an owner, Thatch was a pushover. Atche could use that. No, he _would_ use that.

...When he could move around without his stomach turning, that is. Even though they were bought, maybe there were still some things they could get away with without upsetting their masters. They were certainly allowed more freedoms than the people in the village.

The next time the door that led to the outer sitting room opened, Marco was the one on the other side. The boys were seated near the open doorway to the garden to take in the fresh air, and when they heard the phoenix enter they both turned their heads.

Their eyes widened.

Marco was wearing the loose, free-flowing regalia he had left with, beautiful reds, oranges and golds draping across his form. The intricate embroidery seemed to dance and the fabric fluttered as he took long, dignified strides closer to them. The air around him seemed to buzz and everything about him changed with the simple change of clothing as he took on an air of superiority-one Atche knew well from their first encounter. He remembered meeting him, the way he looked the brothers over like simple merchandise, how he picked Luhfi up and _sniffed_ him. And suddenly every encounter since then fled his mind, and he was staring at that man from weeks ago, no different than before.

He felt like a whole other person.

A whistle pulled him from his thoughts to the person seated next to him. Thatch leaned back against the doorframe, his hand behind his head as he looked the phoenix over. "_Forgot how well you clean up, brother. Almost didn't recognise you."_ His only response was an eyeroll. "_If you keep scowling like that you're gonna scare Dragon away."_

"_Good."_

"_Not too happy about this sudden drop-in, are ya?"_ he asked, hefting himself to sit up-right as Marco bent down low next to the three of them. "_Is it the clothes? They too heavy?"_

Marco sighed, deflating slightly as he spared the humans a glance. Luhfi was fiddling with his doll's button eyes, picking at them offhandedly as he watched the exchange. "_I hate this attire."_

"_It comes with being a saint beast."_

"_That's not what's bothering me yoi." _There it was again-that word. It _was_ a word, no matter what Izo said. Marco couldn't go three sentences without using it. When the blond was met with silence he continued, "_He didn't request an audience before coming. That's unlike him yoi. I don't like it."_

"_True. He's normally good about that."_

As their voices faded into the quiet, the wind carrying in sounds from outside, Atche felt his chest clench. He was worried, seeing him in those clothes. It felt… it felt like before, back when he was cold towards them. So he took a deep breath. "...Marco?"

Blue eyes turned to _glare_ at him and he shrank back. Was he in one of his moods? He looked so cold…

"_Are they alright yoi? They look… off."_

"_They're a little sick,"_ Thatch answered, tousling Luhfi's hair. The boy was still sick, having eaten the most, so he did little to react. "_Seems breakfast might have been a little much for 'em. _Right, Luffy, Ace?"

They nodded, though they weren't sure what they were agreeing too. Compliance was always the best way to go when dealing with the masters, it seemed.

Marco's glare deepened so much Atche flinched at its intensity, turning to face the redhead. "_Be careful, yoi. They've been through enough."_

"_...Sorry,"_ Thatch replied, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

Suddenly Marco rose, the layered robes fitted to his body folding with his movements. When he turned to leave, the freckled boy instinctively reached out, catching the ends of the outermost layer between his fingers. Those blue eyes stared back at him, hard and unrelenting, and he had to wonder if he'd upset him by doing that. But he couldn't back down; he was too scared.

Marco wasn't starting to… hate them, was he? Did they make him mad? Did they do something wrong?

"...Can I come? I-I'll be good, I promise."

"Me, too!" Luhfi chirped, crawling up beside his brother. "We'll be really really good, Mister Marco!"

"_They want to go with you."_

Marco looked between the man and children contemplatively before nodding. "Yes, _so long as you behave."_ He snorted as he turned around, the boys hurriedly falling in step. "_Damnable instincts."_

"_They look like ducklings, following you like that!"_

"_Shut up, cat."_

* * *

><p>Marco didn't seem to like the way they clung to him. They couldn't help it, though; both were worried about his sudden bad mood, wondering whether or not he was getting tired of them. They were scared, Atche especially, wondering if they'd used up their time with them. As much as he was unsure of Marco and Thatch, he didn't want to risk being handed off to someone like the dog man. But perhaps clinging to and almost tripping the man wasn't the best way to prove their usefulness.<p>

"_I don't have time for this, yoi," _Marco grumbled as he pried Luhfi off his arm with a shudder. "_I have to finish the preparations."_

"_Oh hush, Marco dear. They've grown attached; you should be happy,_" Izo stated as he gently pulled Luhfi free of the bird's arm.

"_They took the 'attached' part far too literally."_ The man looked down at them and Atche worried that he knew what was going to happen-what he feared. Sure enough, both were herded towards the door to the inner sitting room, the pushes harsh and hurried but not horribly so. Soon enough the door was open and his heart dropped to his stomach. "Ace, Luffy, go."

Immediately the brothers doubled around, looking up at them with glossy eyes. The one thing they'd come to understand that day was that, no matter how cruel his glares or how cold his gestures, they _did not want to separate from him. _They needed him to _want _them. Because if they weren't wanted…

"Go," Marco repeated, nudging them again. But his eyes widened when he saw the light film of tears glossing theirs, soft whimpers escaping their throats. That ever-present glower lifted from his face, the softness from the early morning making its return. "_O-oi…"_

When Marco knelt down, both were quick to wrap their arms around his neck, holding him as tightly as their tiny limbs could manage. "P-please don't," Atche managed to stutter, trying to be as polite as possible.

"Don't send us away, Mister Marco," Luhfi begged, sniffling against the man's ear, "I-I'm sorry."

Cautiously he wrapped his arms around their trembling forms, allowing the embrace. "_Shhh, you're alright, hatchlings. There, there, it's okay…"_

"_Poor boys. Marco, it always amuses me to see you mother them."_

He did little more than glare to show how he felt about that comment. "_They've been acting odd, yoi. Shit."_

"_What is it?"_

"_...I don't think I can leave them like this, Izo."_

The other huffed, holding his arms across his chest. "_You're just now realising this?"_ he asked. "_They're scared. And upset. I don't know why, but… as they are now, I don't think it wise to separate from them when Dragon gets here."_

Atche couldn't see his response to whatever was said as he buried his face deeper into the elder's neck, clinging with all of his strength as though it would assure they weren't abandoned.

"_I know it's customary to speak privately, but… Marco, look at them. They don't want to leave you."_

A sigh escaped the blond's throat as he ran a taloned hand through his hair. "_I've noticed, yoi. Would you happen to have something formal they could wear to the meeting?"_

Marco pushed them lightly off his shoulders but allowed them to stay in his arms, even if he seemed a bit torn about it-not like they would let him separate from them either way. Grey eyes flickered over to Izo who was beaming down at them, spinning in a swirl of pinks and purples.

"I've just the thing. Hold on."

The man fled for no more than a few minutes, prompt in his return as he held out a set of clothes proudly. Marco just blinked at them, even as the new apparel was set down in front of each child.

"_Fortunately for you, I have these, so they'll at least LOOK like they're supposed to be there."_ He set himself down in front of Luhfi, smiling at the boy.

"_These are…"_

"_They're just like yours, yes,"_ he stated as he slipped the shirt from the boy's shoulders, gesturing for Atche to put on the cloth placed in front of him. He was almost too scared to touch it, its beauty rivalling Marco's own robes, with carefully stitched phoenix feathers decorating the overskirt. He'd never worn such clothing… It was too good for him. What if he ripped it?

"Ace, put on your new dressings, dear."

He stiffened at the command and did as he was told, removing his simpler garb and discarding it to the floor in favour of the new, fancy stuff Izo'd brought him. They were a little hard to figure out since there were so many layers, but soon Marco was crouching down to help him. That may have made him happy-just a little.

"_Why do you already…?"_ Marco's voice tapered off, implying his question.

Izo narrowed his eyes on the blond as Luhfi stepped into the underskirt, his gaze unnerving even though it wasn't directed at either of the boys. "_I dare you to say something. I DARE you."_

And Marco was silent.

He and his brother were dressed at the same time, each looking themselves over as they felt the weight of the new clothes. They were heavy, that was certain. He attributed that to the multiple layers and the fancy embroidery and lining, but he wasn't too focused on it. He felt… special. Important. He'd never worn something so nice, and for a moment he forgot what he'd been worrying about over the past while, too enamoured with the new gift he'd been given.

...Gift? Since when did masters give their possessions gifts?

"Atche, look!" Luhfi exclaimed as he excitedly grabbed the fabric around his waist, "We get _skirts_!"

The elder boy blinked, realisation taking over. _Hey, yeah…_ Immediately he went to find his doll that had been wedged in the corner of the room-he wanted to be sure to keep it out of Marco's way-and, remembering his brilliant idea from days before, lifted the overskirt to make a sack, carrying his doll within it. His eyes lit up in quiet excitement. "It… it works…"

"Ace, put your _skirt_ down! That is indecent!" Izo hollered over. The effect was instant as he jumped and dropped the fabric, his doll falling to the floor as he raised his hands into the air. The other pressed his palm to his forehead, shaking his head. "_THIS, my dear brother, is why I didn't want them wearing skirts in the first place."_

Looking between the adults, the freckled child felt his cheeks heat with embarrassment. He just _knew_ they were talking about him.

"_Can't you get them to sit quietly in a corner or something? _Luffy, stop that."

Atche glanced over to where his brother stood spinning in a circle, the ends of his skirt flaring up. He hid a grin. But at the same time, the softness to their master's expression had left once more, replaced with that unsettling glare.

"_They're being hatchlings, Marco. This IS a good thing."_

The blond groaned in defeat, pinching the bridge of his nose. Eventually he released a heavy, burdened sigh. "_...I know, yoi. But we can't have them acting this way when Dragon gets here."_

"_Fine, fine. Let me go get some pillows for them. You pick where you want them."_

* * *

><p>Marco waited impatiently for Thatch to show Dragon into the sitting room. Normally he would have gone out to greet the other mythos, but with the hatchlings obviously not feeling well, he didn't want to leave them alone in the room for the length of time it would have taken to get through the required social niceties. Worse still was the thought of them <em>following<em> him and having to stand there with all those others staring at them. It set off every protective instinct he had, and Marco was smart enough to realize he'd probably maim someone. So they'd decided to break protocol once again and have his two brothers greet the entourage, and honestly he couldn't find it in him to care all that much. Instead Marco busied himself with arranging and re-arranging the tea set and small platter of snacks placed on the table. It was needless fussing, he knew, but there was nothing else to do; the hatchlings were settled quietly next to the desk, the doors to both his room and theirs were shut, the garden was closed off, and a small fire had already been lit. In fact, if Dragon didn't arrive soon, Marco was sorely tempted to strip out of the heavy outer robes and join Ace and Luffy on the pillows for a nice, warm nap.

There was a knock on the door, alerting Marco to the arrival of his less-than-welcomed guest. He rose, making sure his robes were arranged artfully around himself before glancing over at where Ace and Luffy huddled, wide-eyed and staring at the door. Once again he questioned the wisdom of having them there during the meeting, but it was too late to go back on it now. "Come in."

The door opened and Thatch, playing the part of an officiant, walked in. "Presenting Lord Dragon of the Dragon Clan." The bastard almost managed to say it with a straight face, only grinning when he bowed low, signaling Dragon to enter. Looking at the elaborately ornate robes of purples, golds and greens, Marco thought the grin might have had something to do with the pink dragons that were embroidered across it. He raised an eyebrow.

"Don't ask." Dragon sighed, catching the look.

"Then I will," Thatch replied, still grinning as he leaned on the doorway.

The younger mythos replied with a pout, "Mother has convinced herself that she can be just as effeminate as the other dragonesses."

"…So she's taken up embroidery?" Actually, it was a good job, other than the color of the thread.

"Worse. Designing clothes." All three men winced at the thought. Dragon waved an arm at himself, "It's not like I can say no; she's my mother…" He wisely left it at that.

"Look at it this way: she could have dressed you in lavender," Thatch chuckled. "I'll leave you to it, then. Marco, give a shout if you need me, brother," the cat reminded him as he shut the door firmly behind himself.

"Why would you need-" Dragon's penetrating gaze fell upon the hatchlings and Marco felt himself tense up as his instincts perceived a threat. "Marco… why are there two human hatchlings in here? You know I don't eat humans."

"They're not food," he snapped. Seeing the boys flinch he forced himself to take a deep breath as he gestured towards the chairs. After they were both seated he began again, "They are my pets."

The other sent them another glance, "I see. Are you certain they should be in here?"

"If you're worried about protocol, you should have thought of that before you dropped by unannounced," Marco replied frostily. "You interrupted my plans enough for the day."

"So this is why you've been holed up, eh?" He didn't say anything else about it. Instead Dragon ran a hand through his unkempt-looking black hair as he changed the subject. "Marco, the elders are getting worried. A few almost panicked at the meeting."

The phoenix lord snorted as he poured them both tea, "Then they are fools."

"Are they? There hasn't been a Seiryu in three hundred years. People are suggesting that there won't be another." A deep frown dragged at the scale-like markings going down the left side of his face.

"There have been longer gaps where a post has been unfulfilled, you know." Calmly Marco sipped his tea, "The balance is fine; I would know if there was something wrong."

Dragon settled back in his seat, taking his cup with him, "Would you really?" At Marco's nod he sighed, "That's a relief, then, if you're sure. I was growing worried myself with the oracles' silence."

"My brothers and I would feel it," he nodded, and after a brief internal debate he continued, "just as we'll feel when the next Seiryu is born." Dragon, he felt, deserved to know that. For all that he and the young lord didn't always get along particularly well, he respected him. Not to mention Marco and his father went way back. Honestly, given who the man's parents were, it was amazing he was as sane as he was.

"I see." The smile he was given was positively reptilian it was so tight-lipped, "I was wondering if Father had been pulling my wing." Dragon sighed, relaxing, "That is a relief. I'm sure you don't want that bandied about. I'll figure something out to appease the elders, though." They sat there in relative silence for a while. Marco was sure that the other hadn't come all the way to their territory just for that. Still, he was sure he could out wait the man. After a while Dragon looked over to where Ace and Luffy sat, watching the two of them with wide eyes. "So when did the great Lord Suzaku acquire human pets?"

His reply was clipped, "At the auction."

"Would you relax? I'm not going to do anything to them. You seem to be forgetting that I am a dragon-though how you could with my name makes me question your intelligence-and as such I have an innate interest in the species."

"You mean you don't see them for the savage brutes they are," Marco rejoined.

"Are you calling your pet hatchlings savage?" Dragon seemed surprised, as well he should be.

"Hardly. Ace, Luffy, come here." He held out a hand towards the two, beckoning them over. As they shyly approached he continued, "They're tame enough. Unfortunately they are too young to be left alone for any great length of time." While not quite a lie he didn't want to mention his worry over what others might do to them if he _did_ leave them.

It appeared he didn't have to, not with the way the drake's sharp gaze lingered on the still visible wounds on their necks before flicking to Marco, "I see."

Marco turned his attention to the hatchlings who stood by his chair, pressed as close to him as they could get as they shot Dragon weary glances. He placed a gentle hand on Ace's head, "This one here is Ace," and then on the smaller of the two, "and this is Luffy." Getting their attention he pointed to Dragon, "Dragon," he said in way of introduction. It was amusing to see his friend, someone who was almost on Thatch's level when it came to his interest of humans, try to entice them over with a toothy smile and a clawed hand held out. Predictably both boys flinched back and Marco smirked. "You're scaring them, yoi."

Dragon actually pouted, "I'm not that scary."

"They seem to disagree." He turned his attention back to the boys, "Ace, Luffy? Hungry?"

They seemed to think about it, and he remembered their stomachs had been upset earlier. After a moment Ace nodded and Marco raised an eyebrow. Swallowing he spoke, "Yes, hungry."

"You've taught them our language?" The young lord seemed surprised, and Marco shot him a dark look. "Slaves aren't supposed to speak, Marco."

"And I told you, they're pets, not slaves." He allowed Luffy to cling to his arm after he handed the boys two apples.

"It's not that I have a problem with it, Marco… it's just…" The dragon shook his head, "It's _you_ teaching humans how to speak. You have to admit that's odd."

Marco did see his point. "It was Izo's idea. At first I thought it was foolish; their language is so simplistic in comparison." He smiled down at his pets, earning a shy return from Ace and a big smile from Luffy, "My pets are very smart despite their age."

"I can see that," Dragon conceded as he watched the two little ones press up against him. "They seem awfully attached to you."

Luffy grabbed a double fistful of robes, looking up at him with big brown eyes before attempting to pull himself up into Marco's lap and succeeding in only rumpling the robes and kicking the man in the legs. The child whimpered for help, and Marco resolutely ignored him. "More tea?" He also ignored the look Dragon was giving him.

"Yes, please. Shouldn't you do something about that?"

"If I wanted him on my lap, I would have placed him there. He knows that." Or Marco thought he did. Apparently his pets had ideas of their own, he discovered, when Luffy tumbled face-first into his lap, almost causing him to spill his tea. He glared down at Ace, knowing very well the older of the two had helped his brother up and caused the boy to cringe slightly.

"I can see that." Dragon laughed. "Obedient, huh?"

"There are some things we still need to work on."

It was a struggle to ignore Luffy as the hatchling shifted and squirmed around, trying to get comfortable and nearly falling straight off his lap more than once. Marco was sure that his companion caught him raising an arm ever so slightly to prevent exactly that from happening and it vexed him. Almost as much as Ace's more obvious hovering. He tried to calm himself as he took a sip of his tea. "Any other news?"

"Nothing beyond the expected from my clan… The little one wants something." As if he couldn't figure that out from the insistent tugging at his arm. "I think he's interested in your tea."

"He can't have it yoi."

"Don't be like that, Marco. Little guy is probably thirsty."

He looked down at Luffy, catching the hatchling's eyes, "No."

"Yes. Thirsty." The boy pouted.

"No," he repeated, switching hands and looking at Dragon, "They have water over by the desk."

"Yes!" The tugging started again and he frowned.

"Lu_, stop. I think you're making him mad._"

"_But I'm thirsty,_ Atche!" Luffy whined at his brother, half leaning off his lap.

"_Not now, _Luhfi_! You're going to make him angry! I, I don't think he's happy right now,_" Ace hissed back.

"Unique language they have, huh? Softer than most human tongues. I like it." Dragon hummed appreciatively. That was good for the drake, but all the noise was giving Marco a headache.

"Ace, Luffy. Quiet." Both jumped before falling silent.

"So what are you going to do with them while you're away?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you can't very well take them with you when you go to negotiate treaties or make an appearance at social functions."

Marco tensed, "Who says I can't? I'm Suzaku; I can do whatever I please."

"Maybe when they're older, but not now." Dragon pointed at the hatchlings, and they both cowered back, Ace crowding against Marco's legs most annoyingly, "They're much too skittish; you know that. What are you going to do? Stay locked away here with them until they're dead? You can't disappear for half a century, Marco. Especially without a Seiryu, you know-"

Blue eyes snapping with cold fury Marco stood, sending the hatchlings tumbling to the ground. "Don't dare to presume to tell me what I can and can't do, fire-drake," he hissed, angered at their clinging and his carelessness as well now. Both of his wards lay where they fell sprawled at his feet, searing him with their wide, frightened eyes. He took a deep breath and attempted to reign in his temper before giving it up as a lost cause. "Ace, Luffy, go there." He pointed to the small collection of cushions by the desk. For a moment the two hesitated and Ace actually reached out for him, hand brushing against the bottom fringe of his skirts, way too close to Marco's clawed feet for the phoenix's liking. He took a step out of reach and glared hard at the boy, "Go. NOW." Both hatchlings slinked away from him. He ignored the soft whining sounds, too agitated to care as he strode to the door. "Horrible little uncouth beasts," he muttered under his breath. "I'll be back momentarily," Marco growled out, firmly shutting the door between the private sitting room and the public one to allow himself a chance to cool off.

* * *

><p>Atche watched in fear as Marco left the room, every line of their master radiating annoyance. He didn't understand exactly what had angered the man, but he had to make it better. Even when Marco was being distant, he'd never been cruel-never snapped at them before. He <em>had<em> to fix it. Except he wasn't sure how. As he hunched on the cushion by the desk he watched the other monster, Dragon. The guy was scary looking, and the last thing he wanted was for Master to give them to the man. Dragon sighed heavily, drawing both boys' attention to him as he settled in the chair.

"_That went well,_" he huffed, glowering at the door Marco had gone through before turning his attention to them. Luhfi shrunk back, pressing against his side as he ducked his head. "_Should have known bird-brain wasn't coping well. Not like it's your fault the man isn't good with hatchlings. _Come _on, you two. Let me get a good look at you."_ The man held out a clawed hand, wiggling his fingers as he tried to entice them over. There was no way in hell he was going over there. His master had ordered him to the cushion, and he was going to _stay_ there. "_What were your names again? _AceandLuffy, _right? Well, _come _here, _Ace, _on, pets. I'm not going to do anything to you._"

Luhfi whimpered, slinking back further, "I don't wanna go to him, Atche… he's scary."

"It's ok, Lu… I won't let him hurt you," Atche promised, fists balling in the fancy robes he wore.

"_Fine, be that way. I should probably go check on the bird, anyway."_ He stood, and both boys flinched back. Atche thought he saw the man glance at them briefly, a drawn look on his face, before he left the room, using the same door Marco had gone through before and shutting it behind him.

Warily he waited for the man to come back, or for Marco to reappear. Seconds dragged by and nothing happened. Slowly, he crept over to where the two had been sitting, leaving Luhfi safe on the cushion. Through the heavy wood of the door he could just make out the murmured sounds of them talking and gulped in panic. What if the scary man was trying to convince their master to give them up? What if he was telling Marco they'd been _bad_? He didn't think he could handle it if Marco got rid of 'd barely survived the last time… Ace bit back a whine as his eyes darted around the room for _something_ he could do to make Marco like them again. Unfortunately the room had been straightened just earlier that day, and there was _nothing_ he could see. Even the fireplace had been cleaned and a new fire laid down just that mornin-he gasped, realizing what he could do to make Marco think they were useful.

Circling the chairs, he looked at the small fireplace and was relieved to see the fire had gone out, leaving only coals behind. Quickly the boy approached the hearth with a pleased grin on his face. This was something he could do. Carefully pulling off the long, flowing top Izo had dressed him in earlier and laying it on the chair, Atche began searching for more kindling. Unfortunately there was nothing to be found, suggesting to him that their master hadn't wanted a fire for long. That was alright, though; he'd clean the fireplace out really well for the next time Marco wanted one. His search for kindling had turned up an ash pail, after all. Bringing the pail over to the fireplace he knelt with renewed purpose-he'd make it the cleanest fireplace _ever-_only, he didn't have anything to clean it _with_. Atche frowned, realizing the problem with his plan before glancing over his shoulder to where Luhfi still huddled, clutching at his doll.

He rolled his young shoulders with new determination. Surely Marco wouldn't be _too_ mad if he got dirty when he saw what a good job Atche had done. And maybe, maybe if he had time, he'd go and wash the soot off before their master even noticed! With that thought firmly in mind Atche reached into the fireplace and used his fingers to rake out the coals. They were warm still, and some glowed brightly when he moved them, but they slid easily enough against the stone hearth. He was sure glad his hands and arms were so small, since he could fit it under the grate the fire had rested on. Grinning to himself as he thought about how _happy_ Marco would be at the good job he was doing, Atche pulled the first fistfull of burnt wood into the pail where it landed with a pleasing _ping_ before going back in for more. He settled the pail between his knees, careful to press it against the hearth so as not to dirty his under skirt. He wasn't sure if he knew how to clean it, and didn't want to get it dirty. Once he was sure that the pail wasn't going to tip over, he reached in with both arms and started to pull out everything he could reach.

* * *

><p>"Are you over your snit yet?" Dragon closed the door behind himself with a click. He was sure Marco would never forgive him if his little humans slipped out while the two of them were distracted. Hell, he'd never forgive himself; they were so tiny. Worryingly small for humans… Quickly he buried his concern. That wasn't why he was here. He was here because <em>Marco<em> had missed an important meeting… Shaking off his concern, he gave Marco a dull glare. "Well?"

"I'm not in a _snit_," Marco snapped, pacing back and forth.

He snorted, leaning against the wall, "You could have fooled me." He received a scathing look, which admittedly he deserved. "You need a break from being the great and powerful Suzaku that badly?"

"I know my duty, Dragon."

"Do you? Do you really?" He pushed off the wall and stalked towards the agitated bird, "Because I don't think you _do_ right now, Marco."

"One meeting is of little consequence," Marco huffed, turning to face him.

"What about the trouble the merfolk are having, huh?" Blue eyes blinked at him in confusion and he plowed on. "Or the new trade treaty with Pompeii? How about the drought in the South?"

"_What_ trouble?" Trust Marco to focus on that. Still, he had the phoenix's attention now.

"Oh, I don't know… Why don't you go and _ask_ them since you _obviously_ haven't been paying attention to _anything_ these last few weeks."

Marco narrowed his eyes dangerously and he realised he might have crossed a line. "What, exactly, do you mean by that, dragon?"

Dragon might have been feeling particularly aggressive as of late, but it would be foolish to antagonize Marco further. The older mythos wouldn't kill him… he'd maim him beyond recognition. "Simply that if you had not been otherwise occupied you'd have undoubtedly heard the rumors. From what I've heard, the merfolk clans have been having a lot of trouble with humans encroaching on their seas and ruining their shingles." He shrugged, "That was another reason I came by, actually. You know how they are-for all the clans get along, they take _forever_ to take action. If something isn't done soon, more mermaids will be kidnapped."

"That _is_ serious. I'm surprised that Jinbe didn't mention anything to me when last we spoke."

"He might not have known. It's a recent development. I like humans as much as the next drake, but even I'll admit they're worse than sand-lice when they swarm an area… which you know they're going to do. Humans are weird about merfolk for some reason."

Marco sighed, "I'm going to have to go there myself and straighten this out."

"Looks that way. And you _can't_ bring your hatchlings, not with the clans already agitated as they are." He watched as the other deflated, his words finally reaching him.

"You're right, of course."

Dragon grinned. "I know I am. So, what's the story, anyway?" Marco raised an eyebrow, obviously wondering what he was talking about. "You know what I'm talking about; don't try to deny it. You, with human nestlings?"

Marco seemed at a complete loss of words for a moment as he stared at the reptile in surprise. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"I'm amazed you haven't sold them off yet, at the very least," he continued, ignoring the blatant lie. The phrase got a reaction as Marco winced. _Finally, we're getting somewhere._ "They are cute, though. In a soft, squishy way."

He could easily hear the disbelief in the bird's voice as he cocked his head slightly to the side, "Cute?"

"They've got those pathetic little claws and fangs." He shrugged, trying to explain once again what it was that drew him to humans. He'd hoped that Marco would understand better now that he'd been exposed to two younglings. Once again he wondered what had happened to the phoenix to make him so embittered. "Plus, you got a matched set there. Impressive."

"…I've been told they're siblings, yoi. But a man like you calling them cute is…" He seemed pained by the thought as he rubbed his right temple. But Dragon noticed that he didn't deny the claim.

"Clutch mates, huh?"

"No, Ace is older by a few years."

"Close enough. Who was foolish enough to raid a human nest? Their females are _almost_ as scary as ours when it comes to defending their young."

"Is that alway the case?" Marco seemed genuinely interested in the answer, for some reason.

"Well, no, not always... But the younger the clutch the fiercer the mother, generally. Why?"

As an answer the phoenix lord bit his lip, looking away. "Would the sire and dam _sell_ their clutch?"

The question took him by complete surprise. He didn't brush it off, though. Marco deserved an honest answer, since it was obviously bothering him. "I've heard that they _have_ been known to. Usually only if things are really hard." At Marco's frown he was quick to continue, "Your two hatchlings look much too young for that, though. From what I know the sire and dam keep them long enough for them to be actually _useful_ as slaves. Selling them so young defeats the point."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, pretty much."

The man's shoulders sagged in obvious relief. In the ensuing silence Dragon thought he heard a soft sound, almost a light clinking noise. Before he could even begin to wonder where such a noise would have come from Marco's eyes widened in shock. "The hatchlings!"

"What about them? They're in the other room."

The phoenix had already pushed past him, shoving the door open in his rush to get back to his human pets. Dragon didn't understand why he seemed worried; it wasn't like the little ones were in any danger of getting out of the room, nor was there anything that they could hurt themselves with in the off chance they actually moved from the pile of cushions. Entering the room right behind Marco at first glance nothing seemed out of place. The small hatchling, Luffy he thought, was sitting quietly where he'd left him. A sinking feeling told him something was wrong, even as his nose brought the smells of soot, ash, and charred flesh to his attention. Dragon could only stand there in shock as Marco flew across the room and snatched up the older hatchling who was shoulders-deep into the fireplace.

"ACE! NO!" The boy kicked and squirmed, slipping right out of Marco's panicked hold in order to dive practically headfirst back into the fireplace.

"_I'm almost done! Almost done! Please! Please let me finish, Master!" _He couldn't understand the words Ace was babbling.

At first Dragon thought the poor hatchling was mentally unwell, or perhaps suicidal. Then Marco managed to get a good grip on the child and once more dragged him from the fireplace, kicking and whining. His arms were covered in black soot, and charcoal was clutched tightly in one tiny fist. As Ace was finally pulled out of range of the fireplace, his foot collided with something with a clunk, and he could just make out the spill of still-hot coals that had been upturned. Dragon's gorge rose as he realised the source of the smell. _He was cleaning out the fireplacewith his bare hands._

"ACE! Stop! No!" Marco continued to shout. "_ATCHE, BAD! NO!" _The boy flinched violently before letting out a truly heartbreaking keening sound, yet his struggles to get away from Marco never ceased.

"_I-I-I'm sorry! I-I'll fix it! Let me fix it!Sorry! Sorrysorrysorry!"_

"SHIT!" Quickly the phoenix bundled up the human in his arms and rose to his full height, slightly wild eyes landing on Dragon, "Grab Luffy for me and unlock the door on the right. NOW, Dragon!"

"I don't have the key!"

"On the bookshelf, you pathetic excuse for a-MOVE IT!" He barely waited for the door to be unlocked before shoving right past the still stunned Dragon to get into the room. Turning, he saw the young human hatchling _still_ on the cushions, huddled as far away from him as he could get, tears silently streaming down his small cheeks. Sighing, the drake approached, moving slowly as he saw the babe cower before him. It made Dragon feel like a real monster, especially when Marco was shouting for help in the other room. Every shout caused Luffy to flinch, too. Finally he picked the boy up as gently as he could and carried him towards his brother, dreading going into that room and the horror he _knew_ the soot must be hiding.

* * *

><p>"Well, now that I am no longer needed, I shall retire to my rooms," Izo informed Thatch, not even looking at the cat. Honestly, he wasn't even sure why he let it bother him. So Thatch had noticed Dragon's sharpened colors. It wasn't like Thatch was <em>completely<em> unobservant, and he _was_ a tiger. He had a vested interest in dragons, so it was only _natural_ he'd inquire after Garp's health as well. It didn't matter how many times he reminded himself of those facts, however. He was still hurt, and dare he admit it, jealous.

"Izo, don't be like that," Thatch begged. "I thought we could maybe talk?"

Opening his door, he glared at his friend, "I don't think so, Thatch. I have things to do and you'll be in the way."

It was oddly gratifying the way Thatch's palm slammed into the heavy wood of his door, preventing him from shutting it. Izo had known that his friend wouldn't be able to deal with the silent treatment for long, and he was looking forward to the impending fight with malicious glee. "Stop shutting me out, you stupid turtle! Just tell me what's wrong already!"

Instead of answering he strode into the first room of his apartment, the one he used primarily for sewing. Izo didn't have to look to know that the tiger had followed him, shutting the door behind them. After a moment he spoke, "I don't see why I should have to tell you anything. You're so observant, figure it out yourself!" he snapped, throwing a half finished shirt at the cat.

"What is your problem?!" Thatch snapped back, balling the shirt up and throwing it to the floor where it lay there forgotten.

Like Izo was going to make it that easy for him. No, if Thatch didn't remember there was no way he was going to just come out and _tell_ him, not without making him suffer a bit first. "Figure it out, Mister smarty pants!"

"Just tell me what I did already!"

"NOTHING! AS _USUAL_!" Izo bit out, crossing his arms and spinning to face away from the cat, sending his robes fluttering.

"What does that even _mean_?!" He could hear the annoyed confusion in Thatch's voice.

It was too much. With that clue, even an idiot should have been able to figure it out. "That's it! I don't know why I even bother!"

The tiger grabbed his arm and spun Izo around to face him once more, "Would you stop yelling and just TELL ME already?" he snarled.

"Useless cat! Fat stupid LAZY useless cat!" he scolded instead, too shocked at the man handling. He knew Thatch must have been really upset to do that; the man was nothing if not careful about such things.

"I am not fat!"

_Trust him to focus on that._ It _almost_ put a smile on Genbu's face, but he wasn't going cave. "YOU ARE STUPID AND LAZY THOUGH! HOW COULD YOU FOR-"

"Thatch! Izo! HELP! THE HATCH-ACE NO!" Both froze, their fight forgotten at the sound of Marco's panicked cries. Sharing a look, they both flew into action, Thatch immediately out the hall and Izo to gather the medicinal supplies stored in his bathroom. On the way out the door he snatched up a small sewing kit, fearing what state he'd find the children in and dreading what might have to be done to help them.

* * *

><p>Dragon was halfway through the door when Ace attempted to dart past him. Knowing that the poor thing was most likely making a try for the fireplace once more, he grabbed the only thing he could reach, which unfortunately was the hatchling's hair, eliciting a yelp.<p>

"Dragon! What are you doing to Ace?" Thatch shouted from behind him.

He glared at the cat over his shoulder as Marco swept in and once again wrangled the distraught youngling. "Stopping him from doing even _more_ damage to himself. Get your tail in here and shut the damn door before he makes a break for it again."

"What? What happened?" It had been one thing to see Marco become concerned over the human hatchlings, even if it was very odd to see. They _were_ his, after all. Seeing Thatch's face completely drain of all color when the smell of burnt flesh hit him was something else.

"We were just out of the room for a moment and... I don't know what got into him, Thatch! He was _in the fireplace-cleaning it out!_"

" Dammit, Ace..." the tiger moaned, sagging in what looked like defeat before pointing to the other door. "We need to wash that soot off and see what he's done to himself. Marco, hand him to me and go get Izo."

"I will not wait outside, Thatch." The two stared at each other, tension crackling in the air.

Dragon huffed, shoving Luffy at Thatch, "_I'll_ go. You just get him in the tub." Going to wait for Izo, he told himself he wasn't being a coward; as a dragon he'd seen his fair share of burned flesh before. It was just the sight of his friends so worked up over a _human_ that had him retreating. _That must be it._ He shook his head to get the sight of small, blackened hands out of his head before he could wonder if the hatchling would lose a finger or two.

"Dragon! What's wrong? What happened?" Izo demanded, hefting a medical kit and what looked like clean linens. Dragon hoped it would be enough.

"Marco and I stepped out of the room for a moment, and one of his pets started to clean out the fireplace. With his bare hands."

"Oh gods… How bad is Ace?"

"How did you...?" He refocused, "I don't know. Marco and Thatch are in the bath trying to find out."

"Because Ace would never allow his brother to put himself in harm's way if he could help it. Well, come along then. We'd better go see what we can do."

He felt a flare of alarm, "'We'? I'm not involved," he said, even as he tried to back away. The thought of _seeing_ the damage to the hatchling's arms twisted his gut, and he wanted to be anywhere but that bathroom.

Izo was having none of it, however. "Oh yes you _are_ involved. You were there, therefore you're as much to blame for this as Marco." _Shit, he's right._ Silver eyes softened, "Dragon, please. I know it's a lot to ask of you, but Thatch and I could really use your help with this."

"Why?"

"Marco, to be delicate, is having some problems keeping his instincts under control when it comes to his… pets." He felt a flash of alarm at Izo's words, "No no, not like that. It's more of a matter that his instincts have bonded him to them."

_Ah, that could be a problem,_ he realized. "Oh."

"Yes, 'Oh'. And seeing one of his hatchlings hurt…"

"_Oh!_ That, that could get very bad, couldn't it?" The one good thing about Marco being a long-time friend of his father was that Dragon was well acquainted with the bird's temper, rare as it was. He knew exactly _how_ dangerous a phoenix could be, let alone if Marco was _brooding_. It was a scary thought. And then he realized that Izo was asking him to walk into a small, enclosed room with Marco while the man's hatchling-_human hatchings, it was amazing_-was grievously wounded. "Why do you need me, exactly?"

"Because if the idiot can't keep hold of himself, someone's going to have to get him out of the room, and Thatch and I are going to be too busy helping Ace."

Steeling himself, Dragon nodded, "Let's do this, then. But if I lose a hand, I'm expecting you to nurse me." He earned an eyeroll.

Upon entering the bathroom, Izo took one look at Marco standing there with Ace still in his arms and started giving orders. "Marco, hand him to Thatch and you hold Luffy, hmm? It looks like the boy could use some comfort right now."

It looked like Marco was going to hesitate, but one glance at the boy had him sighing and holding out his current armful. Ace was frighteningly silent and limp as he was passed over. The hatchling was staring vacantly, barely acknowledging the change of hands save for a slight whimper as Thatch sat on the edge of the wooden basin with him on his lap. Sharing a look with Izo, Dragon leaned against the wall as close to Marco as he dared. Snaking an arm gently around Ace's middle without any regard for his clothes, Thach shifted so his feet were in the tub. Still, there was barely any reaction from the human in his arms. "I think he's gone into shock, Izo."

Izo ignored Thatch, instead slipping off the top part of his robes before grabbing a pitcher. Cautiously he approached, attempting to catch the hatchling's eyes. "Ace? Ace?" He frowned, "_We need to clean your arms so we can help you. It might hurt…_ Ace?" Gently he reached out, touching one tear-stained cheek. "I think you're right, Thatch." The two of them shared a look, steeling themselves, "Hold him tight. This is probably going to hurt him." Gently holding Ace's left arm, he carefully trickled water over the soot-covered limb. Once the water ran clear he repeated the procedure with the right arm. The room was eerily silent, save for the occasional sniffle from the little one in Marco's arms. After what felt like an eternity, Izo once again tried to catch the child's eyes, a strained smile on his face, "_Good _Ace. _I'm going to treat your hurts now._"

As Izo turned to open the medical kit, Dragon got his first good look at the hatchling's arms and hands. From the elbows down his arms were an irritated red, an occasional streak of white raised skin standing out where he assumed the poor thing had brushed up against the grate. The hands were the worse, already swelling as they were with fluids and charred where he'd likely held the charcoal. Dragon suppressed a wince as he watched Izo gently spread the palms, revealing a large patch of discolored, shining skin that was starting to split. The drake was sure was going to scar as well as the smaller cuts and forming blisters on the hatchlings fingers. The back of the hands weren't much better, either. In a way, it was a relief the child was in shock; if humans were anything like mythos, then Ace would be crying in pain if he wasn't. That brought another worrying thought. "Will the medicine work on him?"

Thatch shot him a dirty look, "So far our medicines have. They're not quite as effective, but it'll do the job."

"_P-please d-don't send my brother away… we'll be good... please... Don't hurt Atche..._" All eyes turned to the small hatchling as he clung to Marco like a lifeline.

"What did he say?" Marco asked softly, rubbing soothing circles into the tiny back.

"He thinks we're going to punish Ace or get rid of him. I'm not sure which," Izo replied with a frown as he returned to wrapping Ace's hands in bandages. "I don't think he knows, either."

"I would _never-_" Marco hissed in distress, tightening his hold on Luffy reflexively, "_Why_ would he even think that...?"

Dragon stood, alarmed as he watched the phoenix's claws extend and his eyes start to pinwheel. "Marco, release the hatchling."

"You can't have him, he's _mine!_"

"Have you gone daft? I don't _want_ your hu-" Taking another look at the half-hissing, half-panting bird he reconsidered his choice of words, "hatchling. You're scaring him. His clutchmate is _hurt_ and he doesn't know why you're upset."

"BECAUSE HE'S HURT!"

Suddenly Izo was there, prying the shivering, whimpering hatching out of the blond's arms with no concern for his own safety. Dragon was _sure_ that it was about to erupt in a bloodbath as the two saint beasts locked eyes in a battle of wills. After what seemed like an eternity _Marco_ of all people yielded, a bit reluctantly, and passed over the boy. Izo didn't break eye contact as he handed the hatchling over to Dragon. "I think it's time you left the room, Marco."

"I'm _fine._"

"_NOW_, Marco." With a firm hand on his shoulder, Izo half-guided and half-dragged the bird from the room, "Thatch can take care of the rest. We'll come back later, when you all have had a chance to calm down. Now walk with me."

Dragon stood there frozen as he waited for the telltale sound of the door closing before he turned his attention once again to the two hatchlings. The one in his arms was a shivering mess, but at least he was still reacting. The other one, however… he seemed practically catatonic. _Stress or shock. Possibly both_, he assessed as he watched Thatch finish the bandaging and carefully scoop the small body up like he was made of glass-which, compared to a mythos, he was. Meeting the tiger's eyes for a brief second he followed him into the other room, taking note for the first time the lush collection of cushions and pillows and plush carpets that adorned the room. Not a single flagstone was uncovered. Looking once more at the human in his arms he was amazed; it was a room for a young mythos, _not_ a pet.

"The only one Marco's fooling is himself," Thatch whispered as he lowered his passenger onto the obvious nest and ran a gentle hand over his head, "and the cubs, of course. But they don't know any better."

Careful to not startle either of the two hatchlings, he placed Luffy next to his clutchmate. "I never thought I'd see the day."

He was answered with a snort, "Neither did we. At most we were expecting, well, _pets_. But then… this one servant nearly killed them. I'm sure you saw the way they flinch away from touch, and the scars."

"I saw the scars. I'd thought the flinching was a human thing."

"Hardly. Should have seen them before. Enough to try even _my_ patience." Thatch gave him a wan smile that died almost instantly as he looked back at the two boys. They were silent as they watched Luffy slowly creep his way into his brother's lap and bury his face against Ace's neck, all-the-while the elder sat there staring at nothing, shallowly breathing. Thatch sighed, "Ligi broke something in them. I'd thought-but… Dragon, it's supposed to take _years_ to break a-a slave to the point where they'll _willingly_ harm themselves." Golden brown eyes met his, full of anguish. "Ace was with him for a _week_. What did he _do_ to them that Ace would…? Human or not, he's just a _cub_!"

The drake was momentarily blinded by rage at the thought. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes, _too soon, too soon. Keep it together just a little longer._ Once he was sure he had his temper leashed, he risked speaking, not bothering to care if it came out a bit bloodthirsty. "You know, no one is going to protest if I go and _take care_ of that servant for you."

"Too late. Marco ate him." Thatch gave him a lopsided smile, "Thanks for the offer, though."

"Anyone else giving you or the hatchlings trouble?" He grinned, feeling saliva pooling in his mouth at the thought at ripping and tearing into something-someone, of maiming and killing.

"Are you alright, buddy?" Thatch asked, reaching out to rest a hand on his shoulder and he had to resist trying to snap the arm, _Thatch is my friend-I AM IN CONTROL_. "You seem a bit antagonistic…"

"You're the first person brave enough to tell me that in months. But who's going to point out the obvious to a dragon in Rage, Thatch? Besides a tiger, that is?" His old friend looked at him in horror and he realized what he had just let slip. _Well, it's too late to go back now._

"You're lying."

"I wish I was, my friend. I've been fighting it, but I'm losing. It's only a matter of time. Weeks, at most." He ran his claws through his hair, "I don't suppose you would…?"

Thatch paled, "Don't. Don't ask me that."

He could understand that, really he could. Even if it hurt a bit more than he was willing to let on. Thatch had been his first choice, the one he'd wanted to lose to-the one he could trust to make it clean and fast. He'd heard other tigers brag about how many dragons they'd 'slain', taking the instinct-driven attacks as a personal affront. A chance for glory within their clan, a chance to win the eye of a mate. Still, looking at it from his friend's perspective, it was unkind of him to ask. "I, I wanted to come to say fare thee well." He almost choked on the traditional goodbye. Clearing his throat he looked away, "You've been a good friend, Thatch. I'll miss our time together."

Thatch blinked, a tear running down his face. "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

"Can you watch them? I… I need to go check on Marco," Thatch choked out. He wasn't fooled, knowing his friend needed time to mourn what was to come in private. Glancing at the two silent humans, he nodded as he settled on the plush rugs. "Thanks. I'll be back."

"Take your time. And Thatch? Don't tell the others, please. I don't want them to know."

He was left in silence. For a while he just looked out the window. The sunshine seemed to mock him, but recently he felt that way about all nice weather. Eventually he noticed that he was being watched. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Luffy peaking at him, cheeks still red but no longer crying. Dragon _thought_ about smiling, but it hadn't gone so well the last time. So instead he continued to 'ignore' them. Watching as the youngling attempt to rouse some sort of response out of his brother it was painfully obvious that it wasn't the first time he had done so. Slowly Ace began to come around. First it was just small little twitches, like watching someone sleep. Then he 'woke up', looking around with confusion as he held his brother close. With a frown the hatchling's attention flicked to his arms and hands. "_What?_"

"Easy now, little one. You're alright." The boy froze, grey eyes fear-bright as they locked onto his chest. He ignored it, instead carefully pointing to the bandages clinging to the small hatchling. "You hurt yourself pretty badly. My bet is you'll be feeling it soon enough."

Both were now staring at him. "_What's he saying?_" whispered Luffy, low enough that it was doubtful another human could have heard him. Ace shrugged, and Dragon assumed they were talking about him.

Simple might be better. "Hurt?" he asked, pointing again at the damaged limbs. Reluctantly the boy offered a shrug, wincing slightly. "Trust me when I say I know the feeling, hatchlings. People think just because we're dragons we're fireproof." The drake pulled up his sleeve, revealing a long strip of pinkish skin-a half-healed burn from a spar-and looked at the two of them. "Does that look fireproof to you?"

Luffy's eyes were wide as he looked at the wound. He took the drake by surprise when he looked up at him and spoke, "Ow?" before looking at his brother, "_That looks painful, Atche!"_

"_It does..."_ Ace looked at his own bandaged arms, "_Is that going to happen to me, Mister _Dragon?"

He offered a closed-lip smile and reached out, deliberately ignoring the way the boy tried to duck out from under his hand. _Poor little thing_. "When you heal up, we'll be burn buddies, huh?"

Luffy whined, "_Is he hurting you?_"

"_No…_"

"So you're Ace, right?" Those grey eyes flitted up to him before looking away. "I'm Dragon. And I guess this is your brother Luffy, eh?" Neither hatchling reacted too much, and he realized he'd forgotten to speak slowly and try to use simpler words. They were barely out of the egg, after all, so it was amazing they knew _any_ of the mythos language. Though he suspected they were picking up more than they'd let on to Marco. If _he_ was in their position, he'd have done so. Gently he poked Ace and Luffy in the chest. When they looked at him he said, "Brothers?"

Ace bit his lip for a moment before reluctantly nodding. He seemed to debate with himself for a moment, "New…" he frowned, frustration evident before he tried again, pointing at his brother and himself before pointing at Dragon. "We… come… you?"

"You're asking if you guys are coming with….OH! Oh, no wonder you're worried…" The drake sighed, shaking his head. Their world was scary, especially if you weren't able to communicate, he imagined. "No. Ace and Luffy stay with Marco. Stay here."

The tension just left their bodies at his words, and he wasn't insulted in the slightest. It was beyond obvious that both hatchlings were attached to Marco in some way, though he doubted it was a _healthy_ attachment. They were much too traumatized for that… But he had an inkling of what had happened in that room now and realized he really was at least partially to blame, if for no other reason than because he was someone new who'd come in and disturbed their tentative sense of safety.

Dragon took a deep breath to sooth the rage inside. It went against his _own_ instincts to disturb a young clutch for this exact reason- dragon hatchlings with their soft scales were easily spooked and it wasn't _unheard of_ for a clutch to die of fright. That was why female dragons were scary as hell when nesting. Shaking his head slightly to clear the morbid images of dead hatchlings from it, he looked at the two before him. Both were now eying him with more curiosity.

"_He doesn't look so scary anymore._"

Ace shushed his brother before scowling at his bandages. "_He's still a monster. We can't trust him…_"

"_But we trust _Thatchy_, _Izo _and _Marco…"

"_That's different. They… It's just different, Lu._"

They were both starting to get anxious again, and he couldn't have that. Looking around the room for something to distract them with, he spotted a box full of old toys. "Hey! Look at this!" he pulled it over and started rummaging around before picking up the feathered catch-stick, "I haven't had one of these since I was a hatchling myself, you know." He twirled the stick before tossing it high sending it spinning end over end before catching it deftly in one hand. "Still got it. What kind of toys do humans play with, I wonder?"

"_So that's what it's for!_" Ace's face lit up as he watched, and once again he imagined the frustration the young hatchling must feel, especially being the older of the two. Cautiously the boy held out one bandaged hand.

"No. Hurt." Dragon tapped his bandages, earning a slight pout. "I'll show you what the others do, though." Next he took out the rope blocks. They were mostly made with gnawing beaks in mind, but he'd known quite a few other clans had started to use them for climbing. Judging the sconces both to be too high up and too dangerous if pulled free he deemed them an outside toy. But still he hooked one end to the lower end and mimed climbing up it. Glancing at the two, he _saw_ the moment that Luffy got it.

"_Atche! Now I won't need help getting up in the tree!_"

"_You still gotta be careful, though, Luhfi._"

"_Mmmm!" _The boy nodded, eyes bright as he watched the drake bring the toy back and place it next to the box.

Next up was a thick, leather ball. He was pretty sure they knew what it was for, but he still held it up and raised his eyebrows in silent question. Luffy held out his hands and he gladly handed over the old toy, crouching low. With a look to his brother first, the boy rolled the ball to him with a shy smile. "Good! Good job, Luffy!" He praised, rolling it back. After a few more rolls he placed it to the side before pulling out the stick with the feathers attached by a long piece of rope. Holding the stick, he caused the feathers to bounce and jump just out of their reach, flicking them further every time either made a grab for them and earning wider smiles. It seemed like they were enjoying themselves, or at the very least enjoying knowing what the toys were for.

"So this is where you've been." A cool voice reached them, causing both hatchlings to freeze up and crouch low. It was lucky for the intruder that his arrival had caused enough stirring in the air to alert Dragon to exactly who it was, or else he would most likely have killed him before he'd realized his mistake. But knowing the Eastern dragon, Law had planned it that way. Casually Dragon reached for the last toy in the box. It happened to be a flying disk. He winked at the two hatchlings and half turned to the door, waiting for the young drake to show himself. "Everyone was starting to wor-" He let the semi-soft leather disk fly, hitting the sinuous dark dragon in the face with a smack and silencing him momentarily. Glancing at Ace and Luffy he saw them stare at the scene with mouths open and grinned even as Law sighed, "Real mature, my lord."

"Now throw it back."

"No."

"That's an order."

Law's slate-grey eyes narrowed, reminding him silently that this particular dragon wasn't his to command. "You can _order_ me 'til the ends of time; I still won't sink to your childish level." Apparently the youth felt a verbal reminder was necessary as well.

"But Marco's human hatchlings need to know how the thing works!" Dragon huffed, "Wait, how did you get in here?"

"The garden, then in from the porch."

"That's not good. Remind me to tell the featherhead to put a lock on that. Just in case."

"Whatever." Grey eyes rolled expressively before falling on the two hatchlings, "I smell blood."

"Ace, the bigger hatchling, had a run-in with the fireplace. Got him patched up." An idea hit him as Dragon realized the difficulty of finding someone to treat the two humans. He knew for a fact that Izo and Thatch only knew the rudimentaries of healing-crafts because both traveled on occasion to lands that didn't always _have_ a healer. Knowing what he did of most mythos clans, he knew that almost no one else would willingly treat a human. Except the young drake before him. Law's next words confirmed it.

"Are you sure it was done properly? Maybe I should take a look." Even though he sounded annoyed, there was a glimmer of worry in his stance-the way his hands twitched. Law took a step forward.

"No, not right now. But if I were you, I'd suggest my services to Thatch and Izo. Have them bully Marco into letting you keep his hatchlings-I mean pets-healthy." The two shared a knowing look. "I just got them calm, though. Poor things are terrified of mythos." He caught the other staring at the two, taking in the scars he had seen earlier, "Don't stare, and for the sake of the gods don't hiss or bare fang; you want them to _like_ you, Law."

"How do I do that?"

He'd forgotten for a moment that Law had come with him to learn social niceties-not that Dragon was a good teacher. "Well, for starters, pick up the toy and bring it back. And join us sitting here." When the Eastern dragon had settled he slapped him hard on the back, earning a glare which he pointedly ignored. "Law," he introduced him. Next he pointed to the hatchlings, "Luffy, Ace."

Ace crunched his brows, "Law?"

"Yes. And I take it you are Ace?"

"Smaller sentences. They're just learning our language."

"Fine. Ace?" The freckled child nodded. Law pointed at the brown-eyed one, "Luffy?" earning a hesitant smile.

"Law?" The youngest tried out the name. "_His name is funny, Atche_. _It's radish!_"

"_Shh, Luhfi!_"

"Why are they saying my name?"

"Hell if I know."

"Fantastic." They all sat awkwardly looking at eachother. "How bad did the burns look?"

"Bad enough to scar. Speaking of: can I get you to look at that one on my thigh? It's feeling tight and I'm not sure it healed properly."

Law made a noise of disgust as he waved a hand for Dragon to continue. "Fine. How is the burn on the arm? Honestly I don't see why you _insist _on sparring with the fledglings."

"Because someone has to teach them, of course. The one on my arm is still a bit tender but it's fine so far," he muttered, dropping his overskirt to the floor and just catching the wide-eyed stares of the two boys. Ace made to cover Luffy's eyes but the younger was having none of it, and Dragon bit back a laugh. "I bet this looks really wrong to you two."

"Just WHAT do you think you're doing?" Izo's voice stopped him cold. "And WHAT is _he_ doing in here?"

"Helping guard the hatchlings," Law answered, earning a nod.

"It's not what it looks like! I'm just-"

Izo turned his wrath on Dragon, "Do you know how long it took to get them to stop picking their skirts up? And now you're taking your robes off in front of them... If they start walking around naked, I swear to Monet I'm going to hunt you down and kill you."

"Law was just going to look at a burn I got a few weeks ago, I swear! It was going to show them they could _trust_ Law to help with their hurts!"

Izo continued to glare as he seemed to think it over. "Law is a healer?"

"I am," the Eastern dragon confirmed.

"And you'd be willing to heal humans?"

"If they need it." Law delicately sniffed the air, "They should be alright for now, but I believe Lord Dragon was correct in his assessment of their need of an actual healer. I'm willing to fill that role. It would be a shame if they were to die because of some foolishly overlooked ailment."

"Are you trying to insult me?"

The dark dragon ran a hand over his head, "No. Forgive me. I have… difficulties… relating to others, I've been told."

"What he means is he's an ass. But he's a decent enough guy," Dragon said, nudging his young charge.

"Fine, then. Look at Dragon's burn and I'll decide."

Hiking up his underskirt, Dragon revealed a large patch of blanched skin pulled taut across the fleshy part of his upper thigh. His skin was thicker there, so he hadn't felt the burn, nor had it blistered. Instead it had turned shiny and white before starting to pull painfully.

The healer poked it a few times around the edges, "It's a good thing you mentioned this now instead of waiting 'til it completely hardened, you lizard brain. We'd have had to cut it off otherwise. As it is, I want you to soak it every night and then oil it. In this form, not your draconian one. The skin needs to be loosened."

"Right, I can do that." He dropped the underskirt and pulled on the elaborate overskirt, "Thanks."

"In one week can you stop by to check on Ace and Luffy?" Izo asked.

"A week?" Law confirmed, "Yes. Until then, keep his burns clean and be sure to make him use his hands a bit. I'll give them a full exam when I arrive."

"Thank you. For now, though, I'll have to ask the both of you to leave. Marco and Thatch will be arriving here shortly, and we have a private matter to discuss."

"Right, the fireplace." Dragon nodded, "It's time I got going anyway. I'll see you around, Izo. Tell Marco I said 'bye' for me, will you?" He grinned, steering Law out the door and towards the garden. It was cowardly, but he didn't want to run into Thatch again and risk his friend letting the secret slip. How he was going to miss them. "Oh, and put a lock on the porch door."

* * *

><p>Atche bit back a whimper as he tried to tighten his grip around Luhfi. His hands were really starting to hurt and he didn't understand why. They hadn't hurt earlier… but now Izo was here and he was giving him <em>that look<em>, the one that said he was disappointed in them and all Atche wanted to do was curl into a ball and disappear. He'd only been trying to _help_; why was he such a screwup? Fat tears ran down his cheeks unchecked. The only comfort he had was the knowledge that he and his brother were staying with Marco. That's what Dragon had said at least, and he desperately needed to believe those words. He heard the door to the outer room open and had to stop from throwing himself at Marco when his master walked into the room, instead quivering helplessly at the sight of the monster's displeasure. _This is it. They're going to punish me._ More tears followed the first, "I'm sorry-sorry!"

"Hush now, little Ace. It is alright." Izo gently reached out and he whined, resisting the urge to duck out of the way as graceful fingers carded through his hair. He kept waiting for them to tighten their grip and for him to be forcefully pulled from the safety of the pillows. Izo sighed, "Thatch, Marco, _maybe you should wait outside the room_."

"No." Marco's voice was cold, and Luhfi whimpered in fear. Blue eyes locked onto his brother and Atche did the best he could to shield him, wincing in pain as his arms protested the movement. "_..._Thatch_, go wait in the other room._"

"_But…_"

"_You'll be able to hear from there just fine._ Izo, _I will stay by the door. Will that be acceptable?_"

"_Since I doubt you'll leave, it'll have to do_," Izo sighed. "_If I TELL you to leave the room though, _Marco, _leave. Don't make things worse._"

Marco crossed his arms, settling against the wall. For the first time Atche noticed he hadn't changed out of the elaborate robes from earlier, now streaked with black soot. Not only had he failed his master, he'd ruined his clothes. He felt horrible. "_Fine._"

"Ace? Ace, how are you feeling?" Izo asked, kneeling besides the cushions.

"Fine…" he whispered, looking away.

The fingers in his hair stilled and he shivered, waiting for the yank for lying. Instead Izo sighed, "You do not have to lie, little one. If you hurt, tell me. I can't help you if you will not tell me what is wrong."

"Why?" Luhfi asked, wide-eyed, "Why do you wanna help? Nobody ever w-wants ta' help us…"

He felt Izo's surprise and quickly spoke up, wanting to move away from any questions the man would ask that he would _have_ to answer-questions he didn't _want_ to answer, because he didn't understand why things were the way they were any more than his little brother. They just were. "I, I hurt," he admitted.

The hand ran through his hair again, "You poor thing. We will get you something for the pain later. Is that alright?" He nodded. "_He says he's in pain. _Marco_, _Thatch_, they don't seem to understand why I'm even asking._"

"_How could we not ask?_" Atche almost jumped out of his skin when he heard Thatch's voice, only Izo's calming presence keeping him grounded.

"_They're afraid of us still. Of me." _Marco's eyes opened and he swallowed convulsively under his master's stare. "_None of us have done anything to deserve that fear and yet they're terrified._"

"_Shut up, both of you. You're only making things worse._" Izo looked back at him, "Ace, you scared us all really badly. Of course we're worried."

He didn't understand. Why were they worried? Had he not been cleaning fast enough? Was he cleaning the wrong place? It was so frustrating not understanding what they wanted. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologise for, little one." The man was quick to quiet him, "You did nothing wrong." Now he was even _more_ confused. He must have done something wrong if they were worried about it. He risked a peek at Izo, silently begging the man to explain what he meant. A lank of shiny dark hair had fallen from the elaborate hair style Atche remembered from earlier, and he was saddened to think that was _his_ fault as well. The man caught him looking and pushed the strand behind his ears, right past the trail of spots going up the side of his face and sighed. "Ace, why were you in the fireplace?"

"I was cleaning it," he admitted easily. "I'm sorry I got dirty. I couldn't find the tools, so, so I took off the top you gave me soitwouldn'tgetdirtybut-"

"Hush, it's alright." The hand started running soothingly through his hair once more, Izo's other lightly rubbing Luhfi's back in small circles. "We're not mad." He felt some of the tension drain out of him even as he wondered what he had done wrong then. "Ace… We have servants to do things like that. To clean out the fireplace. That's why you couldn't find any tools."

He blinked up at the man before looking over at his master in confusion. It was _wrong_ to second guess his master, but, "Why?"

"_What is he saying?"_ Marco was watching him intently, and he swallowed.

"_He was cleaning out the fireplace. I told him that was what the servants were for." _Marco nodded_, "Now he's asking why… hold on._ Why what, Ace?"

Atche bit his lip as he adjusted his grip on Luhfi, trying his best to ignore the screaming pain in his arms. "Why would you have servants do slaves' work? That's-that's why we're here, right?"

"Oh dear gods, no. No, Ace…" Izo's head turned slightly to look at their master, "_He… he think's that THIS is what they're here for…_" before turning back to them, "You, you don't understand. The servants, they get paid to work..." He trailed off, obviously at a loss. Atche didn't see why it was such a difficult concept.

"But if we do the stuff they don't wanna do, they'd do better on other stuff." Luhfi sniffled, "That's what slaves are for."

"Hunny, you're not slaves. I don't know where you got this idea-"

He glared hard at the floor as his little brother turned his head and buried it into his neck with a choked out sob. "Mar- Master bought us," he whispered, fighting back tears of his own. "Master bought us an-"

"It-it wasn't-"

He continued on like he didn't hear the monster, _needing _to get it off his chest, even if he was punished for it. "-d he, he left us with that m-m-monster f-f-for training. Because w-we were bad…." Desperately he turned to his master, eyes wide and pleading him to understand that he _understood_, "But, we'll be _good_ now! We'll let you give us stuff that makes us sick, and do anything you want, you just have to _tell me what to do!_"

The room fell silent after his outburst, the only sound was Atche's breathing as he continued to look between his master and his master's friend.

"Izo_, you better say something to him!"_ Thatch's voice had him jumping.

"_What? What do you want me to say, _Thatch? _Tell me what I can POSSIBLY say that will fix this, you stupid tiger!"_

Their master shifted, a worried look crossing his face as he made to move away from the wall. "_What did he say? And don't lie to me, _Izo."

"_They... They think you left them with Ligi deliberately. That... that it was for training. I... _Marco, _I think they're expecting that sort of treatment..._"

"_They are NOT slaves! I'd never!" _Atche cringed away from his master's obvious displeasure, trying to pull Luhfi with him. Even with his eyes shut he could feel Marco staring at them. He sighed, "_I could never hurt them like that, _Izo."

"_None of us could. Talk to them, shell head. Tell them they're safe."_

Izo turned back to them, and Atche braced himself for the worse. "Ace, you don't have to be scared."

"Atche isn't scared!" his little brother declared, pushing himself away from his brother to glare defiantly at the man, furiously rubbing the last of his tears away. "Stop saying that! He's never scared because he's the best big brother ever!" He really didn't know what to do. Izo didn't seem _mad_ by the outburst, more confused and surprised if anything. And he didn't ever want Luhfi to find out he _was_ scared-almost all the time, in fact. His little brother relied on him to be the strong one. So when Izo just looked at him he turned away sheepishly, not willing to lie to either.

The delicate eyebrow came up, "Oh?"

"Yeah! He's brave and cool and strong and he could even beat Mister Marco and Thatchy u-mmmmhmmmmm!" Atche panicked, quickly covering his little brother's mouth as the boy continued to flail.

It stung, moving so fast, but it had to be done. "What are you _doing_?" he whispered furiously. "You can't say stuff like them to that! We want them to _like_ us, remember?!" The boy stilled for a moment, no doubt thinking about whether he'd rather see Atche beat them up, or them like the two brothers. Finally Lu nodded and Atche sighed in relief as he cautiously let his brother go.

"He likes Mister Marco, though," and instantly regretted it. If it wouldn't hurt like hell, he'd slap himself. Or his brother. "He's not as scary as the guy who tried to eat us. And I think he's a better master than that weird monster with the mask would have been. Except for leaving us with that scary monster. But we were bad. So we deserved it. And I knew he'd come back. I told Atche so, and I was right!" Luhfi beamed up at Izo.

"I see…" The way Izo said that, it sounded like he was _laughing_ at them. Atche risked a glare at the man's chest.

"_What did _Luffy _say? Is the little one frightened of us as well?_"

Izo reached out and ruffled Luhfi's hair, offering the boy a smile as he stood to face their master fully, "_Oh, he just wanted to tell me that _Ace _isn't afraid at all. Ever. Because he could beat you two up at any time."_

There was a snort from the other room, "_What about you, _Izo?"

"_I didn't come up._" Izo reached out to pat Atche and he pouted, knowing that they were _mocking_ him somehow. "_They don't HATE us-any of us. In fact, I'd go so far as to suggest they might like you, Marco._"

"_They just don't trust me not to hurt them."_

"_No, no they don't._" He offered the boys a sad little smile. "_But I'll see what I can do to change that._" He jumped a bit when the man leaned forward and gently but firmly grabbed his shoulders, preventing Atche from looking away. "Ace, listen to me. He's not your master. You are _not_ a slave. You don't have to work or clean. Marco is going to take care of you."

"Take care of us?" Luhfi asked, cocking his head to the side as he rested a hand on Izo's sleeve, "Why?"

"Because, little one," Izo smiled at him, like he was imparting a great secret, "he wants you to be happy." Atche blinked at him in confusion. No one had ever cared if they were happy before. Not really. They'd just sort of… tolerated them. The last person who'd actually wanted them to be happy had been…

Luhfi looked at him, brow furrowed in equal confusion. "Like Mama?" He froze at the question, not even aware that those simple words had a similar effect on Izo.

Gathering his little brother in his arms as best he could he held him close, ignoring the way his heart clenched at the thought of Mama. He missed her _so much_, especially now, when he felt so lost and confused. She'd always known what to do. "Don't be silly, Lu. Mama's… We only have one Mama…"

"_Oh, you poor things…_" They were enveloped in a cocoon of silks and Atche froze, looking warily up at Izo. For some reason the man was _hugging_ them. He, he wasn't sure if he liked it… but he was too hurt to really care. "Mamas are very special. Marco's not trying to take your Mama's place. He'd _never _ever do that… But, he could try and be your Papa. If you'll let him."

"Atche?" Lu whispered to him, "What's a 'Papa'?"

"_You_ know, Lu. That's…That's…" He bit his lip, frowning and shrugged, causing his brother to turn to the one who'd brought it up. If he was honest, he always _had_ wondered what was so special about a papa.

"_There's that word again. _Izo, _what does _'mama' _mean? They're alright, right? Every time they've used that word before they've been upset. Or drugged. I know it means something to them._"

Izo flapped a hand at the blond, "_Now's not the time, bird. It'll only upset them. I'll explain later. To the BOTH of you. Now hush, you made me miss what they were whispering about._"

Luhfi repeated his question a little bit louder so Izo would be able to hear him this time, but not loud enough for their master to, "What's a Papa?"

The question caught the man off guard. For a moment, Atche thought he saw pity flash across those silver eyes, but it was gone before he was sure. Izo closed his eyes and sighed. "A Papa is… _Well, _Marco's _in obvious denial._" he muttered under his breath, and somehow it didn't sound nice about their new 'papa'.

Atche didn't _like_ that tone. It was like Izo was mad at Marco or something, and it didn't feel right to him. He frowned, "Marco is… safe. Please don't be mad at Marco. It was my fault."

"No it wasn't; Atche didn't do anything wrong." Luhfi protested, pushing his way between the two of them. "You leave him alone, too. Or… or… or I won't like you anymore!"

"Lu-" He reached out to get his brother's attention only to have his hand shrugged off.

"Nu-uh. I'm not listening! I'm gonna protect you this time, Atche."

"No one needs to protect anyone," Izo cut in, lips twitching. "Really, no one is in trouble."

Atche narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Even Marco?"

"Even Marco. I'm just… annoyed with him at the moment. He's my brother; I'm allowed to be annoyed, right?" Both boys stared at him in shock before looking over at Marco. _They… they look nothing alike! Monsters are weird._ "Which is why I know that Marco wants to be your papa." And they were back to that. Izo leaned in as if sharing a secret, "A papa is someone who is supposed to worry about YOU, not the other way around."

Atche thought about that for a moment. It didn't sound _too_ bad, and when Marco wasn't being all weird it did sometimes seem like he was worried. Except he wasn't sure if he liked that. He didn't know how to react to someone who was worried about _him_ and _Lu_ and not something they _did_. It was a weird thought. He shifted uncomfortably, wondering if they really had a choice in the matter.

"...If he's gonna be our papa…" Lu asked, brown eyes bright with curiosity, having already accepted the new change in their lives, "does that make your our uncle?"

Izo's mouth opened and closed a few times before he offered a tired laugh, "How about we talk about that another day, huh, little ones? I think someone could use some relief from their pain right about now, and BOTH of you definitely need a nap."

Atche wasn't exactly happy about the way Izo handed held a small vial of liquid to his mouth and made sure he drank it down-or the way the man tucked them in like they were made of glass, either. He had to admit it _was_ getting hard to think clearly through the pain in his hands, though. Mama had always said the best medicine was a nice long nap anyway… He shifted around and tried to find a position that didn't hurt, in the end settling on his back. Luhfi carefully nestled against his side, surprising him by taking the side closest to the door for a change. Yawning Atche blearily looked over at the doorway, spotting Marco still standing by the door watching them. He didn't seem happy, but he didn't seem angry, either. He actually seemed… Atche wasn't sure, but it made him think a bit of Mama's humming when one of them had scraped a knee. He wondered if it was worry as he saw Thatch peak in with the same expression on his face. If it was, it sure felt weird. He didn't know if he liked it… or trusted it, for that matter.

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><p><strong>Notes<strong>

**We touched briefly on dragons back in chapter one, but didn't get into too much detail The reason was we didn't want to spoil any surprises, and we really only had one dragon at the time. As you saw here, there is more than one dragon clan. The main two clans are Eastern and Western dragons. Physically, Western dragons tend to be bulkier in both their humanoid form and draconic form, where the Eastern dragons tend to be lean and taller. That isn't to say Easter dragons are not strong, however.**

**Western dragons are ornately proud of their wings, as well they should be. These extra limbs allow the massive dragons to fly and can be used as both an offensive and defensive weapons during a battle. Easter dragons do not have wings, instead having a longer sinuous body that twists through the air. The features they are most proud of are their thick mane-like rufts, which many decorate.**

**The Western dragon is by large the more aggressive of the two clans, being more apt to raise to probation easily. Easter dragons are exceedingly likely to get revenge at a later date through an elaborate plot. While both are intelligent, the calmer nature of the Eastern clan allows them to maximize on this trait. Seiryu has appeared in both clans, a fact that has brought the clans into a tentative peaceful alliance, despite their many differences. A typical dragon envoy will contain members of both clans, showing a united front to other mythos clans.**

**A large difference between the clans is the average clutch size. It is common for Easter dragons to have a clutch of three to five eggs once every four hundred years. A Western dragon will rarely have a clutch of more than one egg every two hundred years. It is thought that this is due to the innate aggressive nature of the Western dragons. While all hatchlings in both clans are easily spooked, Western fledglings have been known to fight to the death if not properly chaperoned.**

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><p><strong>To our lovelies~<strong>

**Nimphy-Ryuu-chan:** **(B) If we don't kill you with cuteness, we'll kill you with feels, that's for sure. (A) Psh, feels are overrated.**

**WingsofaBelle:** **(B) Thanks! We work really hard on our world building to keep it unique. I got to tell you, it's a lot harder than you'd think to put it all down and make it work. (A) I'm the one who has to do the world building for the next chapter with the fishman, and it's soooo much work _ Not easy.**

**Ventusio****: (B) Starting next chapter we'll be moving on to the other elements of the story and taking some of the focus off the boys. Thatch is one of my favorites, too! He just grows on you, doesn't he? All your questions and wonderings will be answered eventually in the story… eventually. Did I mention it'll be eventually? Keep in mind that unlike in canon, this Luhfi has ALWAYS had big-brother Atche to protect him. He's a very young child in a strange situation recovering from malnourishment and abuse who is taking his cues from his big brother on how to react, because he trusts his brother to keep him safe. (A) I wouldn't say Thatch is smarter. He might seem it, I suppose, but that's because they're dealing with a subject he specializes in. Just keep that in mind. He's also only level-headed because, again, of the topic of humans. You're entitled to your opinion, of course, but keep in mind that Luffy's circumstances will change him. In canon he had to be independent, he had to be strong, because there was no other option. He didn't grow up in a very nurturing environment, and Ace disliked him at the start. Here Ace has never disliked Luffy, could never, and takes care of and protects him. He's, well, getting to be a kid. As for honest and brave, he's been both of those things throughout. And trusting. He's the reason they're making progress, too. We haven't given him his own scene yet, though, and the reasons for this will be revealed later in the story. Perhaps you'll like him more with time and, if not, I apologise. But I find keeping him exactly as he was in canon would contradict his past and the setting.**

**ghanathesaiyan4****: (B) There's a picture of where we got the inspiration for the bed on our Immortality tumblr page if you're interested. If fashion was based just on convenience, I think the world would be a better place, myself. You could get away with wearing just about anything then! Yes, the toys are stuffed animals of a sort. (A) What's wrong with wanting a skirt for convenience? I'm glad you like it :D Well actually the plot isn't JUST about the boys, and we'll be getting into that next chapter. This was sort of… the end to the beginning. Now the real stuff is going to start, since the setup is over. Which should be a little more interesting, as the stuff that focuses just on our main characters tends to drag if it's not broken up.**

**Sara****: (B) *raises eyebrow* what kind of obscene noises? Like, "OMG it's chocolate!" noise? I'm glad you're enjoying it, though! It means a lot! Thank Anj for Izo, that was all her. (A) *soaks in praise* Yes, Beddy, my Izo is brilliant. Nah I'm joking, I just… no idea what I was doing XD **

**scatteredPhilosopher****: (B) Thank you very much! I'd like to think we keep our readers guessing with some things myself. (A) I would hope so, Beddy, or this would make for a very boring story XD**

**109876543212014****: (B) Thanks! (A) Thank you~ :D**

**Justa Little Puppy****: (B) That's the only reason to wear a skirt. *wink* Anj keeps telling me to find shorter chapter titles, but it's hard, dang-it! I hope this chapter answered some of your questions about what Thatch and Marco expect from Ace and Luffy… which is for them to be kids. (A) Well, they brought up the issue, at least XD Though Thatch still has no idea why Izo's mad.**

**Blue Wolf Miko****: (B) The skirts part was a lot of fun for us too. There's a very good reason Izo is mad, and we'll get to it… sooner or later. (A) Eventually XD Seems to be our favourite word as of late...**

**caring16****: (B) No, no berries for you. The longer chapters just kind of run away from us, I swear. And this one was a real monster. (A) I SWEAR this won't happen again. I SWEAR it. ...Maybe.**

**samettikettu****: (B) Admit it, you liked the idea. (A) Yes, that was all me XD**

**Fairy of the Friz****: (B) Well, first I'm glad you like shipside! Secondly, it's easy to be good when you're working with a great partner. And Luffy brings up poop because he's a little boy…and he's Luffy. (A) You're welcome and here's the next update.**

**Kisuminight****: (B) Quite alright, we understand. AH! Someone who's majoring in languages! Thanks for the input! We're trying to make the confusion and frustration believable. Some of the powers will be explained, and some won't be. They're just going to be taken for granted. (A) I'm using my own experience learning a language as reference, actually XD I'll be switching into a language major in September. You'll get descriptions and details of powers and the worlds and the like, but we're not sure how far in-depth it'll get.**

**Ghostunderasheet****: (B) After a while these things just kind of come to us. I'd say we've put way too much thought into the world at this point. (A) Ugh yeah… understatement of the year. This story's too large for its plot. It's almost the size of Divide.**

**killerpuppy****: (B) Marco's issues will be revealed eventually. He's got a lot to work through first though. (A) Warming up will take time. Because reasons.**

**WeevilOne****: (B) We both are to blame for the one-liners. An odd fact, a lot of the one liners come from our chat and then are worked into the story later. Marco's like one of those people who adopts a puppy but isn't READY for a puppy. This is why you need to research your pet before you get one! (A) Our chat is a brilliant place. We need to post more of it. What Beddy said!**

**Aerle: (B) We had had some technical difficulties there. Translation: ate them. Fixed it as soon as we were able to. Sorry about that! (A) If the site does that one more time I'm going to flip a table.**

**Bard ****of Chaos****: (B) Aww now I have that cute song "when you're the best of friends" from the fox and the hound in my head… thanks for that. You're right, the brats are going to grow up. (A) Yes, yes, they will grow alright...**

**PhantoMNiGHT321****: (B) Yeah, who would have thought they'd make good caregivers, right? (A) Marco doesn't want to, but his instincts are making him want to.**

**6Lisa9****: (B) Thank you very much! (A) Thanks! :D**

**uchiha-sakura193****: (B) I read combo kicker as cock blocker at first….o_O…. I'm just going to blame Ligi for that, too. (A) There will be chapters dealing with Marco's character, I assure you.**

**Rheassa****: (B) Well….maybe one day when it's all done….we MIGHT perhaps re-release it as an all original piece? Hey, if Anj can start plotting a sequel I can plot to edit for that, right? (A) NO BEDLAM WE ARE NOT.**

**Molly Grace** **16: (A) Thank you! Here's hoping Izo's useful, right? (A) Izo's great. Very much so.**

**Nurofen****: (B) Oh, they're brothers, so of course Thatch is going to pick on Marco more. It's his JOB. Try to read the story where people can't punch you...like, up a tree? (A) Siblings must always tease one another, right?**

**bluedog96****: (B) Thank you so much! Though get some sleep, alright? Yeah, that was . Fixed it now. (A) Thanks! And yes, that was all FanFiction. Them bastards.**

**zealousfreak27****: (B) I'm hoping we didn't kill your french test! That would make me feel bad. I blame Anj for posting so late. Total night owl that one.** **(A) Hey, I'm running on Australian time Beddy! Show some sympathy! *ignores that I am a Canadian in Canada***

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><p><strong>Thank you all for your support and reviews! We hoped you enjoyed this annoyingly-long chapter! :'D<strong>

**Adieu~**

***quote by Alexandria Honey**


	7. War Does Not Discriminate

**Chapter Quote: _"War does not discriminate who is right - only who is left."_**

**Bedlam: Sorry for the wait everyone. Life has gotten in the way big time. I know for me, I've had a wedding I was in, a job promotion and relocation which I am in training for right now, and finally getting help for my hip. That's not to say we haven't been plotting and planning and editing. It just means everything has been going slow! SO SLOW! Hopefully the both of us will be able to get back on track soon.**

**Anjelle: Yeah, I have to say we both played a part in delaying this chapter, but it's just life, you know? And right now I'm sick as hell, I'm barely coherent… So if there are a lot of missed typos this time around, please bear with me. It's hard to catch them when I'm hopped up on like 3 different meds OTL But I wanted to get it done for you guys, so I did my best to push through my scenes and the editing! But hey, look on the bright side: last chapter was 2ce as long as usual, so you didn't really miss out on a chapter, if you think about it!**

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><p>Atche held his brother's hand as he looked up at the phoenix, a slight anxiety rising in his gut as blue eyes softly glanced over them before returning to Thatch. <em>"You'll be alright while I'm gone, yoi?"<em>

_"We'll be fine; don't worry about it,"_ he replied with a wave and grin, showing off impressively sharp teeth. They still made the boys a little uneasy, though they no longer saw him as particularly dangerous.

_"They've been quiet lately. It's disconcerting."_

_"I know. I'll try to see about that."_

_"...Thanks, yoi."_ The mythos exchanged hard-to-read stares before Marco returned his attention to the humans, crouching in front of them with a gentle, weak smile. _"Hey, pets…"_

Atche shifted nervously on his feet, Izo's words echoing in his mind. _He's like a papa._ But what did that mean? Weren't they… slaves, or something? He'd always known slavery was a possibility—it wasn't uncommon back in the village, and they were orphans—but then… then he said _that._

_"I'm going to be away for a few days. Thatch will take care of you."_ A taloned hand reached out, beckoning them closer. He wasn't sure whether to listen or not. _"Please don't be like this yoi. I'm not going to see you for a while."_

_"Think you can keep your instincts in check for that long?"_ Thatch asked. _"You've already bonded. It's not going to be easy."_

_"I know, but I'm going to have to,"_ the blond replied with a sigh, repeating the gesture. That time Atche stepped forward, hesitantly placing his hand in Marco's. The bird caressed his knuckles with the pad of his thumb, feeling the fresh, new bandages that had just been reapplied to his burns. Blue eyes softened, turning from the injury to the humans' faces. He'd been a lot… kinder since that day. Atche wondered if it had more to do with the incident, or with that title Izo bestowed upon him. "I go."

His eyes widened at that. "...Go?"

"You're leaving?" Luhfi asked as he stepped forward.

The effect was instant and both were pulled into his arms, cradled in warmth. They were stiff at first—Marco rarely initiated such intimate contact—but quickly gave in and returned it. Lately he'd been… nice, and Atche couldn't help but think that maybe he was starting to like them again. Before the bird looked so angry, and he could still feel the way he trembled when Marco snapped at them, but now…

"Yes, I go," he answered before pulling away, placing a taloned hand on each of their cheeks. "Be good, yes?"

They exchanged wary glances before nodding. "We'll be good."

He smiled, "Good," and rose to his feet, his long, traditional regalia trailing across the ground as he headed for the door, stopping only once to look back at them. "Ace, Luffy, goodbye."

Atche swallowed a lump in his throat. "Goodbye…"

"Byebye, Mister Marco."

The door closed and footsteps faded into silence. They looked up worriedly at Thatch, who smiled. _"Don't worry; I'm not going anywhere, cubs."_

"Are you staying, Thatchy?" Luhfi questioned, large, brown eyes pleading with the man. Neither of them wanted to know what it meant if they were left alone.

"Yes, _cub. I'll stay."_

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><p>Thatch sighed as he tapped the lobster tank. He was more than grateful Jinbe had sent such a gift—that man certainly catered to his love of seafood—but he almost felt bad, in a way. The poor thing was going to have to suffer to quell the rage of one pissed off turtle. It was for the greater good, he told himself, but that did nothing to erase the pity in his heart. While the tiger had cooked lobster many times before, he wasn't one to relish in needless suffering. So as the water started to heat and as he grabbed the largest one he could spot from the tank, he was lead to pout.<p>

The lobster was placed on a cutting board where it sat still as Thatch turned away from the counter and checked the water. It looked like he would have just enough time to prepare before it would have a chance to boil over. He was thankful; over recent rebirths he'd been a bit squeamish about causing small creatures like that harm. Maybe it tied into his attachment to humans—they were about as weak as high-intelligence beings could get, and compared to his height of seven feet in that form they _were _pretty tiny—but whatever the reason, last time he cooked lobster he'd hesitated too long and a pot of scalding water boiled over. When he went to stop it he'd tripped and soon it blanketed the floor. He couldn't walk without whimpering in pain for two weeks, and Marco was stuck helping him out as he healed.

Spinning back around, his eyes caught on the lobster's form, its legs scurrying beneath it as it tried to move. It didn't get very far, though, and Thatch just sighed once more as he picked it up and faced it. "Tryin' to run, little buddy? Sorry, I don't think you're gonna get too far." It looked at him—or it _looked_ like it looked at him—and his face sagged even further. "D'ya know what's coming? That why you wanna make a break for it?"

Replacing the lobster on the cutting board, he added salt to the water and retrieved some butter from cold storage—because he'd completely overlooked it beforehand. Soon he found himself with the pot at a running boil, ready to take in the key ingredient.

And then he returned to the lobster. And he pulled his mouth taut.

With a heavy heart, he stood over the pit and looked down into the bubbling water that gurgled and groaned, almost like it was taunting its soon-to-be prey. He turned the crustacean around to face him once more. "Sorry, little buddy. This is gonna hurt me more than it's gonna hurt you, but if I don't do it I'm gonna have a really pissed off turtle on my hands and that's a scary sight." It did nothing but slowly move one of its legs. "Don't look at me like that—this is hard enough as it is! ...May you find peace in seafood heaven."

With a slight bow of his head he turned the creature around once more, dumping it head-first. Its entire body was enveloped in the water and Thatch was quick to grab his tongs and wait as he watched the shell turn a bright, vibrant red. He removed it once he was sure it was fully cooked—being sure to put on the butter immediately after to allow it to melt—and grabbed the cutting board off the counter, placing it within a tray on the table, the lobster on top of it.

He steadied the creature with one hand and grabbed his knife with the other. "Poor little guy," he muttered with a sigh as he looked over the lifeless yet tasty remains, jabbing the knife down through the shell of the back and cutting it lengthwise, the blade coming down between the eyes with a loud crunch. Once that was done he removed the knife, spun the tray and repeated the action, chopping straight through the tail. After assuring the halves were separated he pulled them apart and discarded the knife onto the tabletop. First he went about removing the severed stomach sack from each side, then did the same to the intestinal tract in the tail.

Discarding the waste, Thatch once more picked up his knife, holding the blunt end to one of the lobster's claws. In quick, heavy movements he thumped the back of the blade along the shell, then finished cracking it with his hands so that it would be easier to eat. Satisfied, he took his freshly-made meal and arranged it neatly on a plate, grabbing the melted butter and pouring it into a bowl.

After grabbing a nice bottle of wine he was ready to serve it, carrying it all to the doorway. He stopped and glanced to his right at the tank, being sure to hide the meal from the view of the ones inside it. Whether they understood that he was carrying the corpse of their dead friend or not, he didn't care. Counting them, he sighed. Seven. Jinbe had given them eight, and so he would have to do this seven more times. And while it really wasn't _that_ bad—he killed and ate things all the time—he just couldn't help but look at their little faces and feel a pinch of guilt.

Several hundred years ago, he wouldn't have batted an eye no matter his prey.

Tapping the glass, he smiled. "Don't worry; it was over quick. And it's for a good cause—Izo _loves_ this stuff."

He headed into the hall and down to Marco's wing, knowing with certainty he would find Izo there. With the featherhead gone the turtle had been left to watch over the children as he prepped lunch. He'd fed them first, though he was certain it wasn't enough and that he'd have to make more, as their appetites had been increasing as of late. That was great, and he was fine with making more if they wanted it, but he thought it best to serve his brother before readying seconds for the children.

When he opened the door to the inner sitting room he was sure to put on his biggest grin. Izo was sitting at the table, vibrant robes resting gently against his form as he looked into the distance. Thatch followed his eyes to the garden where the children sat on the porch with their dolls, talking in hushed whispers even his ears had trouble picking up. He was happy to see the used plates and cutlery placed in a neat pile at the far corner of the table.

Silver eyes looked up at him, curiously studying his form as he bent down and presented the turtle with his meal.

"Made you something special," he stated as he poured the wine.

"Oh?" was his only response as he shifted in his spot and looked it over. Thatch straightened, just _knowing_ that this was going to make things a little better between them. "Ace, Luffy."

The boys had been giggling about something, both craning their necks around to look at the turtle with owlish eyes.

"Come here, boys." They looked between each other but did as they were told, hobbling over to sit across from their current caretaker. Izo's painted red lips curved into a smile as he pushed the plate towards them.

Wait, what?

_"Go on, take it."_

Thatch dropped to the ground, head in his hands as he groaned in defeat. The jerk snubbed his peace offering. He _snubbed_ it. Just like that. He didn't even _taste it_ first.

A tug at the white cloth of his sleeve had him looking up to see Luffy staring at him with brown eyes full of worry.

_"Mister Thatchy, you okay?"_

He did his best to force a smile, no matter how pitiable the result. _"Fine, _cub. _Thatch is fine."_ That was about the best a response he could manage, seeing as his brother avoided teaching him to the best of his abilities. He'd asked days ago but so far managed no more than two lessons. It wasn't so bad—he'd learned some human languages by fully immersing himself in their societies until he'd grasped them—but as the only sources he had to learn from were two quiet cubs and a moody turtle, he'd only picked up a little thus far.

Smiling, the younger boy crawled back over to join his sibling in staring at the plate of food. _"Atche, look! It's like the crusty thing the fishermen used to sell!"_

_"Lobster, Lu. It's really expensive…" _Ace glanced up uncertainly at Thatch.

_"Eat,"_ he encouraged with a nod, being sure to give Izo a sideways glare. "He certainly won't."

"I'm not hungry," Genbu defended without skipping a beat as he retrieved fabric and thread from a sack beneath the table. Upon closer inspection it looked like a child-sized overskirt, the embroidery half finished. It somewhat resembled the robes of Suzaku, only in dark colours.

Thatch simply rolled his eyes, deciding not to let it get to him. At least his hard work wasn't going to waste if the boys ate it. Sure enough they poked and prodded the meat with a fork, Luffy grabbing a claw between his fingers. His eyes softened at the sight, knowing that was probably their first time eating it. "That's a human recipe, so it should be a little more familiar than some of the stuff you've been given, even if you've never had it yourself." Ace was the first to actually taste it, putting some meat from the tail into his mouth. His expression at first was blank as he chewed and swallowed and for a moment Thatch wasn't sure if he liked it or not, but sure enough he went in for a second piece, and the tiger was there to help him by separating the meat from the shell. "Your species can get pretty creative with your food—you guys eat _everything_, it's amazing."

Izo sighed as he continued his task, never once looking up from the tip of his needle. "I swear you know more about human food than mythos." And Thatch had to laugh, because he had to agree. "What's with that obsession of yours?"

He rubbed the back of his neck as Luffy cracked the claw and extracted the insides. "An old friend introduced me, I guess you could say." At that those silver eyes looked up, but neither spoke.

_"It's really good!"_

_"Yeah… Don't eat too fast, 'kay?"_

_"Mhmm!"_ Ace held the fork in front of his face which Luffy readily accepted, trying the tail meat next. _"Say, Atche?"_

_"Hm?"_

_"Think Mama ever tried this?"_

Ace was quiet at first and the mythos found themselves looking towards him with sympathetic expressions. After… well, after the incident a few days ago, they were sure the cubs never knew their sire, but their dam… They talked about her a lot. _Must've been close._

_"...Maybe. I hope so."_

* * *

><p>It was hard not to admire the view of the ocean floor when it surrounded him on all sides. The substance separating them from the water was thin yet sturdy and clear like glass. Above he could see the far-off sunlight catching on the water's surface, all manner of aquatic life swimming around. Every time Marco visited he couldn't help but wonder why Izo never stayed in his underwater territory; he'd birthed there a few times, the phoenix knew, even if he hadn't been there to witness it. One would think the turtle would see it as a second home, and yet he didn't.<p>

In any case, it sure was calming.

The fishman before him was a tall fellow with a sawshark base and long, jagged nose. He seemed familiar, vaguely, and Marco found himself wondering if they'd met before, perhaps when the man was no more than a young pup. It was possible, as merfolk weren't immortal. He'd seen plenty grow up over the centuries, Jinbe included. But he never voiced his pondering as the man's face was set in a firm scowl. The bird was in a foul sort of mood himself, instincts taking over more of his conscious thought the longer he was apart from his hatchlings—_no, they're not mine, they're just pets_—and he figured it best to avoid any unnecessary mingling.

The man—a guard, judging by the armoured uniform he sported—led him down a long, narrow hall. Marco always found it curious how, no matter how crowded the area, it always felt spacious, like the rooms stretched on for eternity. He supposed that was one of the positives of the clear walls trapping the pocket of air. Were it not for being able to breath he wouldn't have been able to tell that he wasn't standing on the ocean floor. He could even feel the dry, white sands between his taloned feet, gritting against his toes with every step he took.

Marco narrowed his eyes on his entourage consisting of a few servants from the main compound. He'd almost forgotten they were there until one stepped on the back of his robe, causing him to pause and glance back. Immediately the woman raised her foot and dove into a full bow, holding the position despite its awkward nature.

"My sincerest apologies, Milord!"

"It matters little," he replied, maintaining half-lidded eyes of indifference as he studied her. He couldn't recall seeing her around before today. "What is your name, girl?"

She glanced up, raising her eyes to meet his, her body following soon after. "Synesthesia, Master Suzaku."

So she was new, then. But he paid it little mind and continued following the impatient fellow acting as his guide.

Soon they reached an area of white, towering walls. From that point on every structure was opaque, the materials thick and heavy to signal the start of the palace grounds. A glare from two fishmen at the front gate had his entourage staying behind; only Suzaku himself and members of the clan were permitted to press onward. He was actually pleased; the servants were more an unwelcomed nuisance than anything.

As the gated, double doors were pulled open—he was always impressed by their raw, physical strength, no matter how many times he witnessed it—he caught sight of gold framing every edge and corner of the white paneling with intricate designs, giving the whole place a regal feel. He took his first step and was immediately met with the cold touch of water. Looking down he saw that the walkway, which was off to the side to leave room for a massive pool of water, was slightly flooded. He grimaced at the thought of what Izo would to do him if his traditional regalia got water damage and stepped to the side. The shark saw that and snorted, but he paid it no mind.

Eventually they arrived at a clear, sliding panel, frosted glass preventing him from seeing much within. He managed to make out a blue mass and smiled, the guide knocking once on the door before smirking at him and wordlessly diving into the pool beside the walkway, swimming back the way they came in a furious blur of blue and black. By the time he was out of sight the door opened, and he was greeted with a snort.

"Already left, did he?"

Marco faced forward, smiling when he was met with a stern, set frown. "So it would seem."

Jinbe shook his head with a grunt before turning to face the bird, the rigid look melting away into something fonder, though his frown remained. "Welcome, great Suzaku." The tone that was used had Marco's eyes dancing in amusement; such formalities were lost on them, having known each other as long as they had. "Please, come join me."

The fishman stepped aside and he started into the room, comforted when his feet were met with the dry feel of thick carpet. He didn't care for standing in the water and, even if his robes were already wet, it was at least a slight improvement. When his host sat on the floor at a low table, he followed suit, taking his place across from him.

They sat in relative silence for a while and Marco was quick to note that the other representatives were absent. The official meeting itself wasn't to start until the third day—he'd come early so that he could be filled in on the details beforehand—but he expected at least one other to greet him.

"The queen is running late," his host stated as he reached forward, pouring a steaming liquid into the cups between them. He watched Marco through the fog, "You'll have to excuse her."

The phoenix raised an eyebrow as he reached between them and snaked a hand around the fine china he was offered, holding it up to his lips. It didn't have a scent, and momentarily he wondered what it was—certainly not tea. "Has something happened, yoi?"

Jinbe waved off his worries. "Not at all, she's in good health," _or as good as she can get,_ Marco found himself adding, "she's just been… preoccupied."

"Oh?"

"She birthed an heir recently, only months ago."

So she was caring for her fry. "You must remind me to greet the child before I leave, then," he said, sipping from the cup. His brows knitted in confusion and he closed his eyes as he tasted the drink. _Heated water. I should've known._

Another grunt from the man and they were both staring through the adjacent wall to the connect room, separated by a strip of sea secured behind the clear substance from before. Coral sprouted from the ocean floor amongst various plants, a school of bright orange fish swimming through, tinted by the water. Those lands were peaceful, and he found his thoughts returning to the reason he was there. It would be a travesty to see its people ravaged by human curs.

His mouth drew into a thin line. "Jinbe, as enjoyable as your company is, I would like to speak of the issue at hand yoi. I feel little need to wait for her Majesty."

The man ran a hand along the gills of his neck, webbed fingers gliding over blue skin as he sighed. "I don't think she would appreciate that," he stated, tone resigned, "but I'm sure you'll hear her out when she gets here."

Hear her out? Figuring he'd understand with time, Marco nodded.

"The humans have begun stealing our women and children, turning them into commodities." He found himself fisting the front of his robes but the emotion never reached his face. "They seem to favour merfolk over fishmen. We've had men go to the surface against our warning to retrieve them, however…"

"Caught?"

"Dead."

The phoenix narrowed his eyes, the only visible sign of his displeasure as he resisted the urge to spout inappropriate curses. What he loved most about those lands was that, despite how different the two species that resided there were, they were at peace, fully integrated into what had become an exemplary society to the rest of the mythos world. With so much division between clans, so much hostility, the fishmen and merfolk were a beacon of hope—a sign that _things could get better_. And for humans to tamper with that, to kidnap and murder their people…

"Savages," he spat low under his breath, withholding emotion from the tone of his voice.

Jinbe released a heavy breath, foregoing any comments he may have had dwelling within the recedes of his mind. Despite being very much the younger of the two, sometimes Marco felt his old friend was the more mature—or at least the more stoic of the both of them. He was calm and composed, even when discussing the deaths of his brethren. The bird had to admire him for that.

"We've called the meeting to address the situation. None of us wanted to fight without discussing it first. Our kingdom resides in the mortal world, after all."

The blond offered a curt nod, understanding how that could be worrying. Those were lands overrun by humans, after all. If they started a retaliation, brought a war upon the surface, there was no telling how it would end. Should the ones living on the surface request assistance from other human colonies, they could end up greatly outnumbered, especially with no other clans backing them. That wasn't including the fact that the kingdom had been at peace with the humans for _centuries_ as one of the only ones that would tolerate living so close to them.

"Understandable, yoi," Marco admitted, closing his eyes as he thought, his lips pressed tightly together. It didn't sit well with him—_none_ of it did. "Can I ask you something?"

Jinbe grunted in affirmation, resting his hands on his knees.

He looked the fishman dead in the eyes, conveying all unspoken concern. He wanted to back them up—to tell them to put their foes in their place, slaughter them if they _dared_ to take another of their people—but he needed to know… "Why now, yoi?"

There wasn't an immediate answer, and he worried there wouldn't be one at all. But then Jinbe's eyes scrolled down to his cup, the steam from the water dancing about his face. "We do not know, I'm afraid." That was exactly what he didn't want to hear. "We think… they may have something—to stand against us. Possibly… bind us."

The bird shivered, sipping from his cup to rid the disgusting taste from his mouth. _Filthy mortals._ "If that is the case, we shouldn't hesitate, yoi."

The conversation was halted there by the quiet slide of the frosted glass panel, the stern face of a young-looking blonde on the other side. She was quite the picture of beauty in her white and orange traditional regalia, her hair done up neatly, lips pressed firmly together in a show of her resolve. But the way she evenly met the phoenix's eyes betrayed the fragility of her tiny form, the delicate crafting of her robes and the quiet feel she gave off.

His mouth curved into the faintest of smiles. "So kind of you to join us, your Majesty."

She stormed over to occupy the seat beside the fishman, never breaking their stare, never backing down, and the first words out of her mouth made Jinbe's earlier comments suddenly very easy to understand: "We will not fight."

Marco raised an eyebrow, blinking at her. Surely she couldn't be serious. It was true that Otohime was known for her almost faulty benevolent nature, but even _she_ had to know when a line had been crossed. Her people were suffering—losing mothers and daughters, fathers and husbands, to those _cretons _occupying the shore. As a ruler she couldn't honestly mean to try to settle this matter peacefully.

"We can reason with them," she continued, proving Marco's thoughts—hopes—wrong. That look on her face was telling enough; she wouldn't back down. "We do not need to stoop to violence."

He held in a snort, simply nodding his head in acknowledgement of the queen's views. Reasoning with humans was just foolish. They never listened, and sometimes he wondered if they were even _capable_—

His body turned numb as he remembered his pets, a knot forming in his stomach. They weren't… _unreasonable_… but they weren't like other humans, either. He'd determined that not too long ago.

Marco clenched his fists around the fabric of his overskirt, his face impassive as a rush of instincts flooded conscious thought. He wanted to go home—to see them, make sure they were okay—and he hated himself for it.

"What do you suppose, then?" he questioned evenly, his voice portraying no emotion as he stared across at the woman before him. When she didn't immediately propose something, he continued, "The humans won't listen. You know that. And if they did, it wouldn't change what they've done, yoi. They've taken your people. They've _killed_ them."

Otohime pursed her lips. "I believe we can come to an understanding. We at least need to _try_, Lord Suzaku. I will not allow anymore blood to be spilled."

And seeing the emotion in her eyes, he had to back down. "If you can do so, then I will not interfere. _But_," and he lowered his voice for this, "if not, I do not think the council will give you a second chance, yoi. Be warned."

* * *

><p>Whitebeard snorted as the abrasive scent of lemons and vinegar woke him. <em>I must have fallen asleep<em>, he realized as he shifted slightly in his massive chair. It wasn't the first time he'd spent the night in the great hall, nor did he think it would be the last. His chair was very comfortable and the side panels slid back to offer a splendid view of the grounds. Given his height, he could easily see over the wall if he stood, making the room ideal in allowing him to feel connected to his staff. So he honestly couldn't say he was that surprised that the servants had just started cleaning around him. In fact, it amused him to an extent that they just ignored his presence there.

So he continued to pretend he was sleeping. It was that or deal with their bowing and scraping. Listening to them prattle on was always entertaining, not to mention enlightening.

At first it was quiet as the servants moved about the room, more than likely for fear of waking him. After a while though, they started to chat amongst themselves. At first it was the normal gossip; who was the father of what litter, where to get the best deals in town, but then it turned to more serious matters. Or what was more serious to them, at least. "Did you _see_ that young Eastern dragon with Lord Dragon?"

A higher pitched voice giggled. Probably a sparrow, if he knew his servants. "Mmhmmm. I wouldn't mind a little cross-clan action for that!"

"Oh please. From what I've heard that drake is nothing but a head-case. The rest of the group was talking about how _uncouth_ he was. Can you imagine? An Eastern dragon with no manners! What if he became violent?" And that would be a rabbit. Silly does were always worried about things like that.

"Honey, do you have your clans crossed? Western dragons are the violent ones." There was a pause from the first speaker again. A rat, and the leader of this little group. "It was a bit odd when he just suddenly left the group like that, though."

"Well, _I_ heard he went to check on the lord." The sparrow huffed, "_Apparently_ Dragon had a run-in with those two… pets… of Master Marco's. _I_ heard he was injured—the little monsters."

He almost opened his eyes at that. Last Whitebeard had heard, the human younglings had been horribly skittish around everyone, including his sons. He couldn't for the life of him imagine them attacking Dragon, let alone hurting the drake. Apparently he wasn't the only one who didn't believe her. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course I do! They're humans—you can't trust them!"

"Well, that's a given, but honestly." He could hear the annoyance in the doe's voice "They're just _kits_. Human or not, they'd barely make a dent on a _dragon_, you know. Besides, I saw them when the masters brought them here. Trust me—they're in no shape to hurt _anyone_."

"What do you mean?"

"Poor kits were all bandaged up. I even heard Master Thatch telling Master Izo that they'd almost _died_ recently. That's the real reason we're not allowed in the master wing, by the way. They're apparently afraid someone's going to finish what that other servant started."

"Would that be such a bad thing?" There were gasps, "They might be pups _now_, but when they get older? I don't know about you, but I don't like the idea of them so close to the masters. Not one bit."

"Marigold, you have a point. But I'd like to think Master Marco knows what he's doing."

"Does he? He and Master Izo are speaking in _tongues_ now! Really! They came into the kitchen the other day and I _swear to Kizaru _they were speaking a _human_ language! And Lord Thatch! He's going out of his way to cook food for the little savages. Who's controlling who, I wonder?"

"Are you three still in here? Hurry it up, will you? There's still Master Thatch and Master Izo's chambers to do while they're busy."

"You mean watching those human kits."

"Don't you pull an attitude, Missy. It's not your place to question your betters."

There were three sighs, "Yes, Ma'am."

"That's more like it."

"Madame Tsuru, is it true what the other staff is saying? That the… pets… hurt Lord Dragon and Master Marco?"

The maître d' snorted, "Hardly."

"Then, what happened? Everyone saw Master Izo and Master Marco the other day! Their clothes were simply ruined. And Lord Dragon left so abruptly…"

"That is none of your concern. All you need to know is the masters are fine."

Whitebeard noticed how she didn't offer assurances on Marco's 'pets', however. He waited until they left the room before opening his eyes with a frown, not liking the sound of that. It sounded like something had happened between Marco and Dragon—something that had caused harm to the younglings. That… was not good. Marco's instincts were very volatile right now. He didn't think his son would do something foolhardy, but there was a possibility he might have, and the last thing Whitebeard wanted was for the silly bird to go to war over something that was going to die in a few decades anyway. Come to think of it, he hadn't heard from Marco in a few days. With a sigh he summoned a servant back into the room. It was time to get to the bottom of this mess.

* * *

><p>Izo looked up at his father, more than a little annoyed by the interruption in what had become his new routine. If he were to be completely honest with himself, it more had to do with the fact of his beloved father-figure seeing him when he was not at his best. Caring for the two human hatchlings was exhausting and taking a toll on him. The boys needed him, and not just the human ones. Poor Marco and Thatch—as much as he loathed to admit it right now—would be lost without his help. The little ones needed near round-the-clock care and even with the three of them, well... it was no wonder he wasn't looking his best. Especially with Marco away for the week.<p>

"Is there something you needed to see me about, Father?"

Whitebeard raised a brow before taking a swig of whatever alcohol he'd managed to procure from the kitchens so far, "I thought I had called for Thatch."

"Yes, well, your eldest is currently on pet-sitting detail, so I came in his stead. I hope you don't mind." He sighed, brushing a strand of hair from his face with a grimace. The hair was oily and in need of a good washing. "If this is about the bamboo gardens, I have to say it honestly wasn't Thatch's fault. Not entirely, anyway. The poor cat was distraught and we all know he goes there to cool off. If the servants had just done proper maintenance on it like I told them to months ago—"

"This has nothing to do with simply one destroyed garden," his father interrupted. Izo frowned; he had been afraid of that.

"Then what is this about, Father?" He had a feeling he knew the answer.

"Son, I've been hearing rumors as of late. Nasty, vicious things rumors can be. But there is always a grain of truth to be had in them. And as your Father, I worry about the three of you, especially in light of the most recent rumors that abound."

Izo crossed his arms defiantly, struggling to keep his rising temper in check. He understood that their father was truly just worried about them, but at the same time, he didn't like having his actions called into question. No one did, and given that he and his brothers were Saint Beasts, they had grown used to being beyond reproach. "What sort of rumors are you talking about?"

"The sort of rumors that have you three under the spell of two half-grown human calves." Despite the twinkle in his eye there was an honest note of worry in his voice. Izo just stared at his father in shock for a moment, stunned that the man would even give any weight to such ridiculous rumors for a second. Worried or not, it was complete nonsense in every sense of the word.

"Firstly, Father, they are hardly half grown. I wouldn't even venture to say a third grown, they're so tiny. Secondly, you must be joking to think they'd have even a chance of controlling us. For one thing, the two hatchlings are terrified of their own shadows half the time, much less us. We've just convinced them they're not going to be beaten for every little thing or eaten… and what a chore that was! They don't even speak our language, Father."

The older man frowned down at him, "Has Thatch explained things to them then? He does have a way with common human languages."

"That's part of the problem. They don't speak a common language. I know a really old version of what they _do_ speak... It's an island dialect, but I'm not sure where it's from."

"I see. That would be why the servants have heard you and Marco talking in 'tongues'; you're teaching your brothers the language." His father nodded approvingly, "I'm glad to have that cleared up. It will make Marco's pets feel more at ease."

He felt a wave of guilt. "Actually," Izo began, cringing inwardly, "I'm only teaching Marco."

There was the disapproving parental look. "Why?"

"Marco should be the one explaining this to you," he stressed, hoping to avoid the displeasure he knew was to come. "He and I decided it would be best not to teach Thatch because that way he could learn their language while teaching them ours, after I've taught them some important phases." Whitebeard looked absolutely scandalized. Hoping to cut off the fight before it could start, Izo kept going. "It makes sense if you think about it! They're so young, and Marco's just abysmal at other languages, It really is sad. Honestly, the hatchlings are smart, too. I'd have thought they would have had horrible accents or been completely inept but they're surprisingly quick studies. And the accent is cute. They _have_ picked up 'yoi', though..."

"Enough." He stopped, gazing up at his father with more than a little trepidation. "What is done is done. I will allow this to continue, but I want weekly updates. Now, what is this I hear about them attacking Dragon?"

"Attack Dragon of all people?" Izo stared up at his father in surprise. The idea was completely ludicrous. If his father had met them he wouldn't have even asked such a question. But, given how scared the little ones were with anyone new, introducing them to Whitebeard would end badly right now, especially considering how large his adoptive father was. Hopefully soon. Still, he tried not to laugh at the mental image of the two of them attempting to attack Dragon. "What would they do to him that could possibly hurt him? They spent most of the time cowering from the poor man. If anything, his pride was insulted."

The giant laughed, "I take it the little calves were frightened of him?"

"That's one way of putting it. They clung to Marco something fierce. Apparently they were under the impression he was going to be _buying_ them, or some such. Poor things."

"And did he do anything to _warrant_ this fear?" his father rumbled threateningly. Now that he knew the hatchlings were not to blame, apparently the man was willing to turn his ire on Dragon. Izo really wished he understood where this was coming from. Whitebeard was an easy going fellow, and slow to anger unless someone was threatening his children. It was worrying. "Burn one of them, perhaps?"

"What? Why would he do—oh, _oh_!" _It looks like the servants have been gossiping._ He schooled his face into one of calm amusement, though he was seething on the inside. _This is why the servants need to be exposed to the hatchlings, no matter what Marco says._ "Dragon did nothing to them, Father. The older one, Ace, became a bit… worked up… over the idea of being sold and injured himself. It was an accident, and he is _fine_ now. Dragon and that little Eastern of his, Law, actually _helped_ afterwards."

"You're sure of this?"

"Positive. In fact, I think in a week or so, they should be up to a visit." Seeing the way his father lit up, he clarified, "A _short_ visit. They're still uneasy around strangers, but by then their language skills should be adequate enough. At least to the point where they should understand you're not a threat."

"I shall be holding you to that, you and Marco both. It's been too long since they arrived!" The elder mythos boomed, "I worry that they've bespelled you somehow, Izo."

"Bespelled? Surely you haven't been listening to _those_ old tales! You know as well as I that humans have no such powers, Father. Though I will admit we have been spending quite a bit of time with them. When you meet them, you'll understand—they're so fragile, how could we not?"

"I see." And those golden eyes sparkled in a way that told him that he truly did. Perhaps he saw some of himself in his sons' caring for those wayward hatchlings. "Go, then. Go back to them. But first, rest. Your brother is more than able to care for younglings for a few hours."

* * *

><p>Marco had decided long ago that he liked the sea kingdom. From further back than his last rebirth he remembered paying frequent visits. It was quiet, calm, and the pleasure of seeing two species occupy the same territory without fuss was always a treat. Despite fishmen and merfolk being such differing creatures, they always coexisted peacefully, fully integrated into the open society they'd created. The mythos lands weren't as joined. While differing species were accepted, they were protective of their territories—unnervingly so. Other than the larger cities and Father's property, it was uncommon to see different mythos living amongst each other. They weren't like that in this kingdom.<p>

And then the humans came.

His mouth turned dry and expression soured at the thought as he took slow, dignified strides across the cobblestone walkway of the city square. Having nothing to do until morning, the phoenix lord thought he would re-familiarize himself with the area, as he hadn't been there in almost a decade. Ten years was nothing to an immortal, but it was plenty of time for the world around him to change. He'd noticed they'd expanded their territory deeper into the sea; perhaps the humans were to blame for that, as well. Its inhabitants would've liked to enjoy dry land, too, he knew.

Blue eyes glanced around at the vibrantly-coloured coral lining the walkway, admiring the lovely view of fishman architecture before noticing the stares. Marco stood out, with his fiery red and gold robes and blond hair. Were it not for the phoenix crest embroidered on his overskirt he might have been suspected as a human. He hated that knowledge.

For the most part the mythos kept their distance until one boy stood before him, stopping his leisurely stroll. Marco's interest was piqued and he looked down at the shorter male, a youth still in early adolescence. Pedestrians stopped in their walk, stiffened when they saw that the foreigner was being addressed. They were on edge because of the recent kidnappings, poor things.

The boy swallowed and bit his lip. "Master Suzaku…?"

His mind flashed to Ace, to the burns on his hands and the title Izo said he'd bestowed upon the bird. _Master._ His frown deepened. "Yes, boy?"

The fishman's eyes widened, glossy with tears. "Y-you're really…?"

"I am," he answered with a curt nod. "What is it?"

He was so very small—young—and Marco couldn't help but think back to the nestlings waiting for him at home. It made his expression soften into something kinder as he fully turned to the fishman, watching as he fumbled about nervously. As rare as it was for him to walk around alone on the streets of foreign territories, he wasn't used to this. Strangers didn't normally approach him.

"My… my mother—" The boy's breath hitched and he went quiet again, fisting the front of his robes.

His mind flashed back to days earlier—asking Izo what '_Mama_' meant once everything settled down—and he found himself anxious behind his mask of indifference. More and more he found himself wondering how those boys had ended up as objects to be sold at Hancock's auction, and what role their mother played in it. Izo said they spoke fondly of her…

The boy wouldn't meet his eyes. "W-what's going to happen to her, Master Suzaku? They—they took her. T-the humans…"

Something seemed to change in the crowd's atmosphere with those words and everything felt heavy. They knew what would happen. They knew what the humans were doing. But that didn't stop them from silently urging Marco on, asking to be told just _what_ the Saint Beast sent to aid them thought about the matter. It had him pulling his mouth into a taut line, meeting all of their stares, watching as they tensed under his gaze.

He was left with the heavy burden of choosing to admit the horrible truth or granting the boy a reassuring lie. He was never one to avoid the truth, however.

Straightening his back, the phoenix returned his sight to the child, his face just as unexpressive as always. "I do not know."

The boy's eyes shot up, reddened and pleading, begging for more than that. "B-but you're Suzaku. You're s'pposed to know everything…"

He sighed. "I am not a god, yoi." Marco felt the atmosphere tense further at that. "And I can only do what the council deems an appropriate countermeasure. But I assure that we will do our utmost to protect you—and your mother."

The child sniffled, scrubbing furiously at his eyes in an attempt to rid them of their tears, and he nodded mutely.

Releasing a breath, Marco looked up at the rest of them, watching them flinch under his gaze. "This goes for all of you. We'll do what we can to protect you, but you need to cooperate as well, yoi. We don't want anyone else to attempt another unauthorized rescue mission. It will only lead to further casualties. Am I understood?"

Members of the crowd nodded, hushed whispers spreading like wildfire. The phoenix paid them little mind, though, instead kneeling in front of the boy and dabbing at his cheeks with a handkerchief. To the fishman's confusion, he offered the faintest of smiles. He'd never been good with younglings, but his instincts compelled him to try to quell the worries of the one before him. How to do that, though…

"It's scary, isn't it, yoi?" he found himself asking quietly, too low for the others to hear. "What the humans are doing."

Slowly, the hatchling nodded.

Marco inhaled, unsure of where he was going with this. "Humans are… very scary creatures, when they want to be. Very cruel."

"...I hate them."

He flinched at that, his mind instantly brought back to the two boys in his care. "I don't blame you for that." How could he, when he felt the same? "But when you're scared… I want you to close your eyes. Go on—try it."

The child looked skeptically at the bird for a moment before complying, his lids slipping shut. And soon his body relaxed, his breaths calming.

"I don't want you to think about what's happening, yoi. You're too young for that. I want you to think about before."

The boy let out a trembling breath. "M-my mother?"

"Yes. Your mother. Better times, yoi. When bad things happen, I want you to remember the times before. They'll… return, one day. And you'll be able to smile again." His eyes became distant, memories dancing in his head. "But for now, you can't forget. Can you promise me that?"

"...P-promise."

He smiled, rising to his feet and turning to the rest. They were all still tense and worried, and he really couldn't blame them. But all he could really say...

His mind flashed to the queen's words.

"We don't want war, yoi. We shall try to resolve this without any more bloodshed. So please, trust us. Trust us and I'll assure that, no matter what happens, this land is left in peace. You have my word as a Saint Beast."

* * *

><p>"Hello, cubs. How are you feeling this afternoon?" Thatch asked, plastering a smile on his face as he settled into the chair in front of the fireplace and set the cups on the small table. He'd noticed both boys had a certain reluctance to approach the table since the incident with Dragon and that just wouldn't do. If it went on, it was possible they'd become afraid of that part of the room, and he and his brothers had been working very hard to show them that there was nothing to be afraid of—within these chambers, at least. So while it was a little mean, he was going to make them use the table.<p>

Instead of the usual cheerful reply from Luffy, he just got a silent nod. Thatch refused to let that bother him, however. More than likely they were just missing Marco. Instead he busied himself with stoking the fireplace before settling in for what should be a typical afternoon and evening with his two favorite humans. Dark eyes followed his movements wordlessly as he went about his tasks.

"Did you have a nice morning with Izo?" Still no answer. He pouted a little bit, wondering if it was because he wasn't speaking their language. But no, he'd kept his sentences to words they should know... Once again he cursed Izo and his refusal to help him learn the language.

He caught motion out of the corner of his eyes as Luffy slightly leaned into his brother's side, "_Why does he have to sit THERE, Atche? I don't like that table… bad stuff happens there…."  
>"It's okay, Lu. I don't think he's going to make us do anything.<em>" The elder cub whispered back, wrapping a bandaged limb around the other and pulling him close. Hearing the hiss of pain, Thatch couldn't help the way his head snapped up and he looked over, causing both to flinch back. Some instincts were harder to suppress than others, especially when young were involved.

"Are you alright, Ace? Poor cub, you must still be in a lot of pain, huh?" He stood and went to walk over to them. Thatch tried not to take it personally as both huddled deeper into the cushions they sat on. He knew they weren't afraid of him—not really. But they were so young, so easily spooked. It hurt seeing them like that when he knew that human cubs at their ages were usually off running around making pests out of themselves like most young. With a sigh, he sat back down, heart heavy as he questioned if they'd ever be able to make this right. It _was_ kind of cute to see the way Luffy attempted to block his brother from view, though. He focused on that as he sat, calmly sipping his tea.

Luffy waited until he seemed sure that Thatch wasn't going to try anything before turning to his brother. Every few seconds he would pause in his examination to shoot Thatch an unreadable look that in any other circumstance would have been adorable, but instead it just felt like a knife to his heart. "_Atche? Are—are you alright? You wanna go lay down?_"

"_Nah, I'm fine. Just stings a bit_." Ace bit his lip, glancing over the mop of dark hair in front of him to look at Thatch for a brief moment. When he caught the tiger looking, however, he blushed slightly and looked away.

Thatch was beginning to feel hurt. It was like they didn't want him to even be there. As he subtly watched the two, he went over everything the last few days that could possibly have led to such behavior, and he couldn't think of anything. Just the other day they seemed content enough in his presence, even if it was obvious they missed Marco—which was definitely adorable, but made him wonder how the featherhead was holding up. His only conclusion was that they were holding him personally responsible for chasing Marco away. And since he had no way of communicating with them, he couldn't explain it to the poor cubs. "Stupid Izo," he grumbled, his head hitting the table with a resounding thump. "He better explain this to them!" Raising his head slightly, he let it fall back to the table. "I feel like such a bad guy," he bemoaned as he continued to knock his head against the teak wood.

After a few moments he realized the room had gone silent. Slowly he rotated his head to the side so he could look over at Ace and Luffy, who were now staring at him with wide eyes. "Don't mind me." He offered a wane smile. "Just getting to know my friend here. The table. Nice table, good table. You're the only one who likes me anymore, table," he bemoaned as he rolled his face back into the wood.

He ignored the slight rustling sounds, too caught up in his self-pity to even care all that much what the cubs were getting up to. As long as it wasn't dangerous, what did it matter anyway? They were scared of him. "_Oh!_" He almost fell out of his seat in surprise at the sound of Luffy right next to him, "'Table'_ means 'table'_, _Atche!" _He blinked at the young boy in shock, noting his wide smile and the way he pointed to the decorative table that he had just been banging his head into before glancing over at the other one. Ace looked interested but still hadn't moved. He wasn't surprised at that, but he _was_ surprised by how calm and relaxed he seemed, even with his brother so close to Thatch. "_Cup!_" He glanced back down at Luffy. The boy was pointing at one of the thicker cups, a hesitant smile on his face, "_C-u-p. Cup!" _He glanced at his brother, "_Atche, he's not playing anymore!"_

"Uh, Cup?" Both boys smiled wider.

"Cup," Ace repeated from his spot, before pointing at the table, "T-_gah… _Table?"

"Yeah, Table." He nodded, "I thought Izo was working with you guys on this stuff?" he wondered, trying to remember how Luffy had pronounced the word. "_Table?_" He was more confident with the second, _"Cup_."

"Shihihi! _Yay! This is fun!_ Cup!" Luffy cheered, picking up both cups and carefully bring them over to the cushions as he tried not to spill. Of course, he didn't quite succeed, but he was still young.

"_Ask him about the chair, Lu…"_ He caught Ace muttering as he took the cup, eyes still locked on the tiger.

This time he was less surprised when Luffy practically skipped up to him. He grabbed the chair by its leg and looked up plaintively at him with those big, dark brown eyes. "_Chair?_"

"That's a chair. Chair, _chair._"

"Chair?" He nodded and the boy beamed at him before looking about the room for other things to name. Thatch suppressed a chuckle at the sight, realizing that for all Izo's knowledge of the language, it _was_ outdated, and his brother had just been going over phrases the cubs would hear most often. This was something he could do with the boys, and maybe he'd be able to teach his brother a thing or two. "_Door!"_

"_Door?_ Door." Well, until they got to grammar. That was going to be interesting.

* * *

><p>Atche winced as he tucked his brother in amongst the various cushions and blankets of their… nest… bed… thing. He wasn't really sure what to call it, but it sure as hell was comfortable. The movement aggravated his burns but, really, they weren't so bad. They hurt, of course, but not nearly as much as they did a week before.<p>

A week…

The child's mouth settled into a hard frown as he thought back to when Marco left, a sense of unease rising in the pit of his stomach. He didn't like it. It'd been two days since then, and they still weren't told anything, other than to be good… And they _were_ being good! They didn't break anything or get mad at anyone, or upset the monsters—not _once_! So… why hadn't he come back?

Atche knew that Master Marco was an important man. He'd known since the moment they'd met. It was in the way he carried himself, and those pretty red and gold clothes he wore. So naturally he'd have things he'd have to do, and he'd have to leave, but Atche just… wanted to know why. He liked Izo and Thatch a lot, too, but one of them missing for so long just made him anxious. It was a break in the routine they'd developed, and change scared him.

_"What is it, little one?"_

His head snapped up when he heard Izo's voice, eyes settling on the gentle upward curve of the man's lips, and he pulled his mouth taut. He knew what was being asked—he and Luhfi had been doing their best to pick up as much as they could, as it made things a lot easier—but he was hesitant to answer. Would Izo be mad if he knew? No, Izo wasn't really… He was nice, mostly. And less scary than the other two, even if he felt more attached to Marco, as he was the one who'd taken them in. But Izo was the one who'd explained things to them, so…

The boy swallowed, trying to form some sort of sentence. He wanted to try using their language. Maybe it would make Izo happy. They'd thought that it was bad to speak it, so they'd gotten quiet, but Thatch seemed to be happy with their new game, so…

He searched for the proper words to use. _"Marco… not here. Why?"_

The mythos blinked at first before allowing his smile to widen. "Good try, Ace. Very good. Repeat after me: _why isn't Marco here?_"

Atche nodded, _"Why… i-isn't Marco here?"_

Izo patted him on the head and he suppressed a flinch. _"Your accent's so cute. Marco's gone for work."_

_"Work?"_

He nodded. "Work. Duties. Obligations. Those sorts of things."

So his assumptions were correct. That made him relax, if only a little. _"Where?"_

"_Fishman Island. The human world."_

_"Hu—human?"_

Atche blinked when he felt the gentle press of a claw to his chest, looking down at it and then back up at the mythos, a bit perplexed.

_"Human. Like you."_

His eyes widened, and he nodded in understanding. _"What is… Fishman Island?"_ He fumbled over the unfamiliar name, and he knew he probably butchered the pronunciation, but they were long, difficult words and that was his best attempt.

Izo settled down beside him, beginning to tuck him in beside his brother. He allowed it, finally starting to get used to it after it being done so regularly, and laid back against the pillows beside his brother. "_Fishman Island_ is a very nice place. Merfolk colonized there, but they are… having problems. So Marco went to try to help."

Atche nodded. He wasn't sure what kind of problems Izo meant, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know, either. _"Marco… come back?"_

_"Of course he will, little one. _Yes._"_

_"Soon?"_

_"Soon."_

* * *

><p>Thatch pulled his mouth taut as he removed the next largest lobster from the tank, not sparing in sentimentality as he guided himself over to the pit. The water had already been brought to a rolling boil and by that time he wasn't nearly as sympathetic. The fact that he was doing this <em>twice<em> more irked him than anything, and he found himself scowling at the water. _Stupid turtle, giving away my gift._

Suddenly a yelp escaped his throat and he looked to the crustacean to see it had clawed his finger. The redhead was quick to pry it off, his patience shot as he dunked it into the water with a heated glower. "DIE, SEACHICKEN, DIE!"

And as he watched its shell turn a striking red, relishing in his revenge, he decided that he was done. If Izo tossed that one aside, his plan to win his brother back with seafood dishes would be aborted.

Say, Marco could regenerate… and chicken breast was delicious…

* * *

><p><strong>To our lovelies~<strong>

**LovelyMinx17: (B) Here's the next update! (A) Here ya go!**

**CaptainChaparral: (B) You flatter us~ (A) Glad you like~**

**Mad Y u e: (A) Very happy to hear that you liked our story!**

**Sparkyflame101: (B) Sorry it took a while (A) Here ya go.**

**Ada: (B) He does make a good Papa-bird, doesn't he? (A) Or he will eventually.. we hope...**

**ToscaThorCat: Interesting story XD We don't really… Well, we haven't actually left any of our chapters on cliffhangers yet, and I'm not sure we will. It doesn't really fit the tone of the story. Glad you like!**

**Wicken25: Well, there's a reason for them being on the ship, that's true, but them being related to Seiryuu… Think of it this way: Marco said they'd know when Seiryu was around as fellow Saint Beasts and they don't.**

**Aerle: Pfft yep, sounds like it XD Unfortunately, very little is resolved and the story is still in its beginning phases :'D**

**mschriber67: (B) Thank you very much! Is it because it's a fantasy AU that you normally wouldn't read it? We'll try and keep up the good work. (A) Is it because it's an AU? We get that a lot… the whole 'I normally don't read AUs' thing. I seriously don't know why, those are the funnest stories to read and write XD**

**Guest: Gah, you flatter us XD (Don't bother with suggestions, we already have a lot of the story planned out so we don't really take them XD) Yep, writing these takes a loooot of time, especially since we have to work with one another's schedules. Here it is hun~**

**Eira: (B) Thanks for waiting. (A) Here's an update!**

**Rheassa: (B) Thank you! (A) You're sweet, thank you XD**

**Vivianne95: (B) I'm glad you like it. (A) Here ya go.**

**trina: (B) Here you go. (A) Glad you like.**

**Alex Penedo: (B) I'll address the giants having poor eyesight, since anything else would be a spoiler. It depends on the giant clan. Not all mythologies have giants with bad eyesight, after all, or the same skills/ habits. Nami was already mentioned~ I don't you know if you caught that. We have planned out the roles and mythos clan for everyone WELL in advance, so we do occasionally slip vague references in to the characters that'll make sense when we mention them. (A) As Beddy said, we've mentioned Nami back in chapterrrrrr… 1, I do believe. And Zoro and Kuina in chapter 2. We DO have most characters planned out already if we plan on including them, and rarely do their roles in the story line up with the ones in canon. Now I'll say that you haven't met all of the dragon characters yet, but you HAVE met most of them, and I can assure you that Robin's role suits her far more than being a dragon clan member would ;)**

**Ayz283: (B) Thanks! We put a look of work into it. (A) Glad you like!**

**weirdo18745: (B) I love getting weird looks, and earning weird looks for my/our readers. (A) Awe, you're so sweet XD**

**Mingming: (B) Well, I am sorry about the wait, but as we said: Life. (A) Yeah, things just keep happening… OTL**

**Sara: (B) You are making me blush~ No really, I don't know what to do with praise! Can I tell you a secret? We get ourselves with the feels and the funnies too. There is a lot of chat between us that's just "HOW COULD WE DO THAT?!" and "OMG THE BABIES!" and "SOOOO CUTE!" and laughing. lots of that. (A) Asjdfgljdghjdsk you're so sweet QAQ But Beddy's right… When we're plotting, we get too into it. Like today we plotted something involving Law (we've like fully fleshed him out now, it's fantastic) and it was just… XD**

**EleisonSoul: (B) We swore we'd never stop till the story ended. It just might be a while before we update sometimes. (A) After what Ace went though (and some other things you'll find out later *cough*), he's definitely vulnerable. And easily scared. We're continuing the story so long as you guys can be patient with us. 10K chapters aren't easy to pull off on top of all the other things we've got going on, you know?**

**Diclonious57: (B) I promise I won't wax on about the philosophy of what is 'humanity' and if non-humans can have it. Promise. Mostly because then we'd have to define what 'humanity' really is, and that'd take longer then I want to spend typing right now. (A) I'll just say that what they're displaying isn't what I would consider 'humanity', and whether you have to be human to display compassion or care… well, certainly not.**

**Diclonious57: (B) Thank you. (A) Glad you like.**

**trina: (B) All I can say is we have basically plotted out the whole story including which characters will be appearing. But I can't tell you who or when. (A) What she said.**

**Alex Penedo: (B) The chapter quotes are generally a joint effort. Or, more like Anj goes "We need a title!" and I spam her with ones that would work for the chapter and she picks the one that she likes too, or actually FITS in the space they give us. We find a lot that would work LATER though… (A) Who knows? Dragon could have plenty more scenes. Or none. As for Whitebeard, they're going to try to introduce the boys, but they have to wait until they think they can handle it. He's a freaking giant, after all. And Teach was never intended to be a big villain in this story. No, we have better things to go by… hehehehe...**

**Nugni: (B) And then we take forever. Oops. Law was fun to write. We were excited to add him. (A) Law is one of the characters we'd been looking forward to adding most XD For various reasons. We has plans. Dragon's mom is a personal favourite, too *cough* And don't question Izo. You just don't wanna do it. Bad things happen.**

**caring16: (B) Then I shall burn the berry bush. Seriously that's a lot to read in one go. (A) Yeah, let's burn the bush.**

**uchiha-sakura193: (B) Yes, we're horrible. I'm sorry, little Atche. (A) Believe it or not, it was a necessary evil for the plot. But we promise they won't get mutilated anytime soon. The focus is shifting, I'm sure you can see.**

**gdesertsand: (B) We've already planned out the roles for all the characters well in advance, and that's all I'll say. If I say more, Anj yells at me. (A) It's true, I'll yell at her something fierce. Despite being the younger, I'm always lecturing her. But yeah, Seiryu isn't really fire-related… There's the dragon thing, but Seiryu's powers are a little different.**

**killerpuppy: (B) Well, Marco 'saved' them, and he hasn't hurt them. He doesn't want to have to leave. Yeah, instincts like that would suck, even if you KNEW they were instincts. (A) To Ace and Luffy, Marco's becoming a sort of constant. So when he's not there (like this chapter) they get anxious, and when they think they'll be given away (like with Dragon) they get scared. Plus, even if Marco scares them he treats them better than all the others have in the past, so they want to stay with him.**

**PhantoMNiGHT321: (B) Yeah a lot happened. Plot is starting to pick up and you're starting to see bits of the world beyond just Marco, Thatch and Izo. And hey, even the best parent gets annoyed with their kid, right? Marco just needs practice. LOTS of it. (A) Marco's instincts ARE very dangerous, as he's become bonded to them to a point where if they're harmed, he'll act on those instincts. So yeah, not good. And actually, Ace IS more scared than Luffy. Luffy doesn't think about the negative aspects of situations the same way Ace does. I feel they work off each other well like that.**

**pilvenpiirtaja: (B) Atche was trying to be good! It just kinda backfired? You'll be learning more about dragon clans, rest assured. (A) Yeah, the fireplace thing was pretty harsh (blame Beddy) but you'll start to see some stuff form from the interactions last chapter, including that scene. It was a REALLY important chapter. So… is for the sake of plot.**

**kanji855: (B) Izo is a cool uncle, but I like Uncle Thatch more. (A) Here ya go.**

**bluedog96: (B) Well, we can't do it to Luhfi, he's too little and Atche wouldn't allow it. (A) I hate to say it, but the injury was necessary, and you'll see why later. Also yes, Dragon's rage is going to play a role in the story. But of course.**

**bardofchaos: (B) There are no devil fruits in this world. Just Mythos and Humans. (A) Yep, no devil fruits whatsoever. Nooooot a one.**

**lilyoftheval5: (B) It's really hard sometimes to keep the pacing, because we have the whole thing plotted. Somethings we can't WAIT to get to, you know? (A) I'm excited particularly for something we planned today… but I won't be able to write it for a long, long time OTL We have to go over chapters a bunch to be sure of the pacing, and we normally let the other read the scenes we write to make sure they work individually as well as together. It can be… frustrating :'D**

**lunarshores: (B) You won't be in the dark about what had happened to them before the mythos forever. Just, you won't get it all at once. I don't think you're the only one who missed stuff. Lot's of people will be going "OH!" later. (A) Trust me when I say that judging by reviews, most people haven't picked up on a lot of the foreshadowing XD Or at least, they're not mentioning it.**

**WeevilOne: (B) It's alright, I'll be there to gloat about being good at what I did that it wasn't so predictable when you have that moment. …. You'd want the skirt, right? (A) Trust me, a lot of people are gonna get that "AHA!" moment XD**

**Frostheart D. Blaize: (B) Rage will be elaborated on further later in the story, so we can't really say anything other then it's a dragon thing. Dragon is from the Western clan, as is his father Garp and his mother. We loved Dragon too, he ended up being a lot more dynamic than we'd originally expected him to be. (A) Baaasically what Beddy said. She sums it up quite well. Rage is… not really like that. I would compare it to something to be taken seriously, since it's a big part of a dragon's life. It's something the mythos don't mess around with.**

**shinXlullaby: (B) I know I'm evil. Emotional rollercoaster. It's what we do. (A) You can blame Beddy for the feels. /I/ was nice last chapter, unlike her :P**

**6Lisa9: (B) Thanks! It was a lot of work to write and then re-writing some scenes….It took us lots longer than an hour. (A) Pfft yeah, it took us weeks because we kept having to mess around with every damn thing to get it right...**

**Nurofen: (B) That'll be explained in more detail later in the story, so I'm not going to explain. (A) You'll see eventually~**

**Thank you all so much for your reviews and patience, and I'm so happy to see you're still interested in the story! As you can see, the plot is now starting to branch out, and you're getting a better picture of the world. Hopefully we're doing okay on the world building so far... It can be so difficult! X'D So please, tell us what you think as always, and we hope you enjoyed!**

**Adieu~**

***quote by Bertrand Russell**


	8. Teamwork: Easier Said than Done

**Beddy: Hey all! SO Sorry for the wait. We had the Bigbang to work on, and then life…. This was more on my end this time. I have not had a great time of it recently. But I refuse to be held back by shit anymore and will try to write more. And apply for jobs…. but that's something else. Ignore that! Here's the next chapter!**

**Anjelle: As she said, we've had things going on as well as the big bang, but we're back now! We'll try to get the next chapter up when we can, but we make no promises. Both of us have new stories up on our personal accounts that you can give a try if you need something in the meantime, though! Beddy's **_**Diving into the Sea**_ **and my **_**Lost in the Fire **_**and **_**A Sea of Stars**_**! But enough self-promotion; I'm sure you all just want to get reading. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Shanks fidgeted, uneasy in the fancy clothes his clan leader had <em>insisted<em> he wear to the meeting. He was really much more of a baggy shirt and pants kind of man, and all those layers felt like they were suffocating him. Worse still, he'd been forced to leave his hat behind. He _loved_ that hat and all it represented. He cut a small glare at Akainu before smoothing his face out to one of bored indifference as they took their seats. It wouldn't do to show anything but clan unity. Not here, not now. When Akainu had told him that as the next clan leader, it was his place to come to the meeting, Shanks had almost laughed in the man's face. Akainu _never_ wanted him to come, said he was too _soft_… Apparently that had changed.

He couldn't say he was happy about the change, but he was pleased to be included. The merfolk and fishman clans had proven to be good allies in the past, and he was more than willing to help them however necessary. A glance around the room revealed him in odd company. He got along fairly well with Mihawk since both enjoyed a good spar and wasn't too surprised to see the hawk clan leader there. Their clan still hunted on what was considered human lands. The harpy clan had refused to move from their nesting cliffs when a human settlement started to grow just out of sight on the mainland, so that explained why their leader was here, too. He hadn't met the stiff-looking woman before, with her glossy, brown feathers, but thought her name was Hina… or something like that.  
>Hancock was an unpleasant surprise. The snake princess rarely left her palace unless she thought there was something to be gained, which was usually a good thing. She could be exceedingly irritating to deal with. He supposed the chance of going to war was what enticed her. The same could be said for Doflamingo, who sat there with a predatory smirk on his face. It was easy to figure out which side of the debate <em>he<em> was going to be for.

The room was eerily silent as all of the mythos settled in, accepting drinks from servants who cautiously approached to make sure everything was to the guests' liking. The tension was thick enough that he was at least spared from talking to Akainu. He knew where they'd stand on the debate, and while part of him raged that it was _wrong_, another, _louder_ part of him howled for justice. His hand tightened around his cup as he forced his mind away from such thoughts - just in time, too, as the watery, curtain-like doors opened to reveal the deceptively delicate mermaid queen on the elbow of Suzaku. There was no mistaking he was looking at Suzaku and not Marco, not with how stiffly the bird was holding himself, the feeling of _other_ his old friend gave when he acted like that. Though he doubted the guy even realised he did it, since he'd seen all three of the Saint Beasts do the exact same thing at times. It was awe-inspiring, to say the least.

Suzaku helped the queen to her seat, and Shanks belatedly remembered that Otohime had been trying to breed the last time they'd spoken. He felt a flash of worry at her weakness before spying what was obviously a nursemaid right outside the doors before they closed. He was happy for her - her type of mermaid didn't carry fry easily. The queen smiled her thanks at the Saint Beast who then took a seat himself at the head of the table, sitting straight-backed, blue eyes boring into each member in turn with equal intensity.

"You know why I have gathered you. Humans are capturing merfolk. For what purpose, we don't know. What we _do_ know is that those of the fish tribes who have gone to rescue them have been taken as well. Allegedly, many have been killed in their attempts. That this _will_ stop is not what we are here to talk about. We are here to see what will be done about it. Are we to deal with it peaceably or with violence?" Those blue eyes once more pinned everyone in the room for a moment. Everyone held their silence, waiting for the opening lines to start the talk. "Your clans are the most affected by what we decide here today. On behalf of them, what say you?"

"We strike them hard and fast." Akainu slapped Shanks on the back, causing the smaller mythos to choke slightly on his heated water. "Shanks would be happy to clean out this infestation for you."

Shanks wasn't so sure about that, but he held his tongue.

"The bleeding heart?" Doflamingo sneered at him, "Still trying to make him into a warrior?"

"Hardly. Recently he incinerated a harbour port because they'd gone and shipped off a wine he'd fancied."

To the raised eyebrows Shanks offered a lopsided, chilling grin, "It was a good vintage I'd been looking for for years."

The queen gave him such a look of disapproving disappointment that it stung. Well… it was expected, her reaction. She was known for her love of humans and… he wasn't all too different himself, once upon a time. He let the look slide off his face as she spoke, "How can we ever learn to live with each other if mythos like you overreact to every little thing?"

"I wouldn't call a good liquor a little thing," Boa shot back at the mermaid.

"Was it worth the lives lost?"

"They're just _humans_; they could die by the dozen and it would hardly matter. They breed like roaches anyway. Give it a decade or two and they'll have forgotten all about it." The naga snorted.

"Hina isn't so sure. Humans are fickle. They will use the smallest thing to go to war over."

"By the gods, they're just humans." Akainu snorted, "If we band together we can easily wipe them all out. Show some backbone and put them in their place."

Doflamingo leaned back, "He does have a point. We did it once; we could do it again."

"Humans have adapted since. They may breed like primitive roaches, but they fight like demons when cornered. They have no honour," Mihawk countered. "They'll go after our nests if we attack them."

"Hina thinks the humans have gotten bolder. They have tried to attack our aerie on the sea-cliffs."

Marco leaned forward, blue eyes sharp as he spoke up for the first time in the debate. It was clear that he didn't like what he was hearing, and saying it _displeased_ him was a very clear understatement. Shanks had to wonder how much that would sway his standpoint in the end. "Is your clan alright?"

The harpy shifted her weight, nodding as she stared at the phoenix with a look that told just how aware she was of that very same thing. The qualms the phoenix lord had with humans were no secret. "For now the tide pools and ocean's teeth keep them back. We have only lost those foolish enough not to listen to Hina and stay away from the ships."

"It wouldn't be a problem if you'd just take the fight to them," Boa huffed, crossing her arms. "Your clan is soft, Hina. At least the merfolk are passive by nature."

"Do not mistake my reluctance to start a war with the humans, that could cost hundreds of my people's lives, for 'passive'," Otohime snapped, showing the fiery temper that slept beneath her calm exterior. "War will solve nothing."

"Complete annihilation will." Doflamingo leered at the mermaid queen, a stretching grin across his face, which only angered her further. Silently Shanks groaned. Only a fool goaded an angry woman, and three women who _rarely_ got along at social functions picking sides could end in bloodshed. Shanks didn't care if his clan leader thought he was a coward; he was staying out of this one.

Mihawk shifted forward, gaze raptor sharp. "Only if you strike fast enough that the humans will have no time to rally. And take _everything_ so they can't try again."

Doflamingo snorted, turning his attention to the other avian and off the bickering women. The way he looked more amused than serious about the whole thing was really starting to irk Shanks, though. This was an important matter, one that could decide what standing their collective took against the humans should this cause the issue to escalate, and yet there was one of the councilmen treating it all like a game. Lives had been lost. This was no time for him to so morbidly entertain himself, even if it was in his nature. "And here I thought you were against fighting, bird."

"Only against fighting stupid." The look Mihawk gave the other could have peeled paint it was so caustic. Obviously the hawk knew Doflamingo was stirring up discord. It was likely the others present had noticed, as well.

"So level this human city," his clan leader began, and Shanks wanted to strangle the man for getting involved.

"Atlantis," Otohime supplied.

"And be done with it," Akainu stated, leaning back.

Doflamingo nodded, clearly liking the elemental's more violent approach. "Good plan, for a Incross."

"Say that again, vulture," Shanks growled out, flashing a predatory smile that promised violence. He might not have liked most of his clanmates, but there was no way he'd let such an insult slide. He still had pride remaining in his species, even if some characters like Akainu made it hard to retain.

"Hina thinks wiping them out will teach the humans nothing," the harpy cut with disdain. "They will just do it again. They always do."

"We also shouldn't punish them all for what a few have done."

The naga princess curled her lip. "They're all savages."

"Says the greedy snake who covets their baubles," Hina sniped, earning a hiss.

"Thank you all for your input," Suzaku spoke, voice cutting through the petty arguments that were breaking out. "It has been most illuminating. All of you have raised valid points that should be addressed at a later time. For now, I propose getting back to the topic at hand." Blue eyes pierced each one of them, "Which is how to deal with _this_ particular threat. So again I ask: what shall be done? Remember; _we_ are more evolved than mere humans. Such bickering during an important matter should be beneath you."

Shanks wasn't the only one who squirmed in his seat a little at those words. It was easy to see the great phoenix lord's patience was wearing thin - much quicker than usual - and it was unwise to cross one of the most powerful beings of their world when he was in a foul mood. Even Doflamingo was focusing his attention hard on the cup in his hands, and his feud with Marco was legendary.

At long last Akainu spoke up, not braver but definitely more willing to put himself forward than the rest of the lot. "I suggest clearing out that particular infestation. The humans there are clearly more blighted than others if they are daring to lay hands on mythos."

"And how do you suppose that'll help, hm?" Doflamingo countered, a sneer visible under his mask. "We all know the dirty things will just do it again if there is no _physical_ reminder."

"The bird is right. Humans are short-lived; if we kill off all those involved this will just become a problem again in ten or twenty years," the naga agreed. "They hardly ever learn from their mistakes. Just look at the wars they insist on waging within their own clans!"

The harpy was nodding, for once in agreement with the snake, and it was clear from where Shanks sat that Suzaku's words had succeeded in getting the group to focus. They'd be able to resolve this matter if it kept up… though he felt a twinge of guilt knowing that the result was heading towards violence. His feelings on that particular species were… mixed. "Those humans that have attacked our nesting site are the same. Hina thinks humans are persistent. She doesn't know if this is a good thing."

"If we left that whole place - Atlantis, right? - empty, _that_ would be a nice warning," Hancock suggested, a malicious grin on her face, more than likely imagining looting the place even as Otohime gasped in shock. Shanks felt a twinge of pity for all the humans Hancock would sell into slavery with that plan as well. It was more than obvious her mind had switched from retribution and aiding the merfolk to profit.

"How could you even suggest a thing?! There are humans there that I'm sure have _nothing_ to do with this! Would you doom _them_, too?"

Akainu let out a barking laugh, "Forgive me, your Majesty, but there are no _innocent_ humans."

The others nodded, and Shanks was hard pressed not to agree after what he had seen in the last few years. Humans could be brutal creatures, even to their own kind. After all that he had seen them do to each other to find out they'd gone and attacked the merfolk of all clans, it was almost too much to bare. He forced himself to remember those humans he had known who had been kind, who had never dreamed of harming human or mythos alike.

Shanks bit his lip, "That still leaves the problem of no witnesses... Some human ship will just land there and make up a story for what happens. We might get fifty years before they start up again."

"You want some to survive?" Doflamingo spat. "I knew you were a bleeding heart."

"No, I want _witnesses_," Shanks clarified, covering himself. "People who'll be able to tell others _exactly _why Atlantis was destroyed. Leave no doubt that messing with mythos ends in disaster."

"That's my boy - thinking like a true taction," Akainu praised, making Shanks' skin crawl. It didn't feel good but he knew it was the right thing to do. At least… that was what he hoped.

"So raze the city and let a few of the roaches escape. I can manage that with my clan," Doflamingo offered, looking over at Suzaku.

"There are merfolk there - _captured_! The moment you attack they'll kill my people!" Otohime exclaimed, horror etched on her face.

"Bah, foolish humans. Very well, what do you suggest?"

Mihawk spoke, "If you're looking to free those captured quickly, the Cait Sidhe would probably be the best. They're strong, sly, evasive. And they've had dealings with humans before."

"Cait Sidhe?" Shanks spoke up, "The Bendith Y Mamau might be a good choice, too. They're good at curses and blessings and get along well with the Sidhe."

"Hina thinks maybe we should give them one last chance." The harpy held up a wing, "Atlantas. Even Hina has heard of it before. It is important to the humans, yes? Hina thinks if we free the merfolk there it might be enough. This Atlantas is supposed to be a place for smart humans. Just in case, though, Hina says a spell should be placed over each inhabitant of the city that will sink the land if ever again merfolk blood is spilled."

Shanks frowned, his eyes lingering over the harpy. "You're asking Otohime to put her people at further risk?" Such a thing would only end in tragedy for everyone.

The harpy shrugged.

"No, I like this idea. They can be responsible. If we curse them and make it known, it might just be enough to get them to stop." Otohime nodded to Hancock, "As you pointed out, they are fickle creatures."

The snake huffed, "It's on your head. I'm with the elemental on this one; they're going to come after you again," she warned, looking genuinely concerned. "It's a risk."

"One I feel we should take. Give those that _have_ learned a chance to flee. What if there are those from Pompeii there right now? If we get them caught up in the fighting…" The merqueen trailed off.

Doflamingo huffed, clearly unsatisfied yet, even still, seemed resigned. "That would be annoying. One of the few good clans of humans out there."

"That's because we cowed them." Akanu sneered.

Shanks tried not to roll his eyes at his elder's words. They'd had that argument in private many times before. "Alright, in case there's anyone from Pompeii there _when_ they attack any merfolk again," he wished he could believe like Otohime did that they would stop, but in his heart he doubted it. "I suggest the curse should be slower acting than normal. Say a week? But make it a big one."

"This island of theirs is an important trade city. It would impact a lot of human clans if we removed it completely," Mihawk suggested. "We could slowly sink the land if ever again merfolk blood is spilled. In a week the whole island would be gone with minimal destruction to the land around it."

Doflamingo frowned before laughing, "I like it. Show them our power."

"A week is a very short time. Even by human standards. But any more time and Hina fears retaliation would occur."

"Think off all the valuables they'll be forced to leave behind. If one thing is going to make humans remember this, it's loss of treasure," Hancock added.

The queen bit her lip, "It would be tight, but I suppose we have no obligation to make sure they all survive… Very well."

Mihawk looked over at Shanks, and he forced himself to meet those sharp yellow eyes. "You are acquainted with the leader of the Bendith Y Mamau, are you not?"

"Yes. Yasopp and I are drinking partners."

"Contact him. As my clan shares a border with the Cait Sidhe, I will contact Bellemere." Those eyes looked at the queen, who nodded solemnly.

"You think they'll cooperate?" Doflamingo asked, understandably apprehensive.

"Yasopp will. He's been complaining he's been bored." Shanks smirked.

"If I have a missive from Lord Suzaku, Bellemere will," Mihawk agreed. "With new kits the clan has been a little guarded of late; the missive is to get me in." the hawk explained. Shanks found himself nodding along with the others. Cait Sidhe kittens didn't know their own magical strength and were often a little risky to be around for non clan members. "The queen of the Sidhe is very protective of her own. I'm sure she will be willing to help the merqueen."

"Send her my thanks in advance. And Yasopp, as well."

"Yes, your Majesty," they both chorused.

Suzaku spoke, "You have two weeks to ready your forces. I will prepare a missive for both relevant clans outlining what was discussed today. If any others would like to join the Cait Sidhe and the Bendith Y Mamu, speak to their respective leaders. On the other matters raised, we will meet again as a larger group on how best to deal with them. For now, let us bring our people home."

"At once, my Lord," they chorused, recognizing the dismissal for what it was. Even if they hadn't, Suzaku rising and leaving the room would have made the point clear enough.

* * *

><p>"Lord Shanks, a moment?"<p>

The redhead half turned towards her, brows raised in surprise before looking at his clan leader. She was sure to keep her pleasant smile as the leader eyed her with suspicion and distaste now that the council was over, before nodding once to the younger elemental and walking away. "My Lady?" Shanks questioned, walking the short distance to her.

She let her smile drop, replaced with an annoyed frown that pulled at her delicate brow. "Drop the formalities, Shanks. What were you thinking in there? Backing the - the destruction of an entire _clan_ of humans?"

"They've harmed your people, Otohime." A frown tugged at his brow, "It's for the best; you know it."

"A _few_ have! For that you'd condemn their whole people to die? And what's this I hear about you _destroying_ a human port town?" she questioned, causing the taller man to flinch back. "I am _ashamed_, Shanks. What would your friends think if they knew? Your _human_ friends on Kochyli Island?" There was a flash of raw pain that raced across his face before being replaced with anger - anger that made the gash-like markings he bore seem threatening as he looked away, breathing heavily for a moment. She knew in her heart something bad must have happened. Her earlier feelings forgotten, she laid a delicate hand on his tense shoulder. "Shanks? What is it?"

"They're gone," he bit out. Otohime gasped in shock. Before she could inquire as to what had happened, he continued, "Wiped out by their own kind for dealing with _our_ kind. Every man, woman and child. Fields burned and salted, well poisoned. There's nothing left." His voice broke. "No one left."

Her hands rose to cover her face, shocked by the horror of what he was telling her. Kochyli had been peaceful. Small, unassuming, and full of people willing to trade baubles and goods to mythos and humans alike. A bit like Pompeii, if only on a much smaller scale. It had been all the more precious for its size and isolation from the larger human ports. Those there had never made an aggressive move on the mythos in the island's whole history, nor had they ever sought war with their neighboring islands, dealing with issues by use of treaties and the like. She had such hopes for the small island. "By the gods... When?"

"A while back. I've been hunting those who did it, Otohime." He clenched his fist, "I made them _pay_ for killing my-"

"Oh, Shanks…" Cautiously she hugged the man, feeling the pain radiating off of him. He'd been visiting that island since he was nothing but a boy. It had been his father who'd first started trading there, and Shanks had taken it upon himself to be a sort of protector, being sure to visit at least once a year. She could easily understand his actions now, even if she still agree with them. Many on that island he'd known since they'd been born. Some she'd even met in secret as he worked on expanding their exposure to mythos culture carefully. He'd had dreams of it one day being looked at as a safe harbor for human and mythos alike. "I am sorry."

He offered her a bitter smile, "Not as sorry as those monsters who killed them were. I _hate_ humans like that, Oto. They're the ones that ruin the world for us all."

"I know…"

There was a soft cough behind them, and both hastily took a step back, like two youngling caught doing something they shouldn't be. Marco stood a little ways off, looking at them with an inscrutable expression on his face. Otohime had rarely seen him look so uncomposed. "My Lord?"

"If I might have a word, Queen Otohime?"

"Yes, of course." She nodded, walking over. It was surprising when Marco didn't turn his attention to her right away, instead taking a step towards the fire elemental.

"Just a moment, Shanks."

"Is there something I can do for you, Suzaku?"

The normally passive face twitched slightly, "No, not Suzaku. Not now, yoi. Shanks - we might not have always agreed on the humans, but I have always valued our friendship. I grieve for your loss, my friend."

Shanks stared at him for a moment before blinking rapidly, not entirely sure where this was coming from. "Yeah. Thanks."

"You should stop by the main compound. So we can properly honour your friends, yoi." Marco replied, gaze intense as he waited for the elemental's nod. Once he had received it he turned his attention back to Otohime.

"That was kind of you, my Lord," she commented, eyeing the phoenix carefully. The Marco she knew wouldn't have cared less for the loss of a few dozen humans, even if they had been friends of a sort of Shanks's - not enough to offer his home for a memorial service, that was certain. The Saint Beast glanced around the room before completely deflating, and it was then that she noticed that they were completely alone now. She was surprised by the difference. As Suzaku, Marco was unshakeable, and as himself it took a lot to rattle him. She'd never seen him look so out of sorts before. He ran a clawed hand running through his hair, actually tugging on it slightly. "Marco, what's wrong?"

He met her eyes, his own full of worry and exhaustion, and she felt alarm bells going off in her head. "Otohime, would it be possible if we could move the rest of the negotiations to the Saint Beast main compound?"

"What is it? Are you unwell? Is it _Thatch_?" she questioned, suddenly worried. Marco would _never_ make such a request, not in the middle of a delicate negotiation, especially not right after her young had been born. Not unless it was truly dire.

"No, no, the tiger is fine. As is Izo." His lips twitched slightly, "At least, they were when I left. I just… need to return, yoi. I've been gone about a week, and…" He looked guilty. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. You have a fry of your own to care for, yoi… Forget it; it's nothing." He turned to walk away.

She hesitated for only a moment before reaching out and stopping him. "No, it's quite alright. My little one can be cared for by her nursemaid and father. _If_ her doting siblings will let them. It would be good for me to get out anyway." She smiled at him. Nothing she had said was a lie, and though it pulled at her heart to think about leaving her little one so soon, she needed to find out what had Marco so ruffled. If she didn't know any better… "I will, of course, be bringing attendants."

He visibly relaxed, giving her the first genuine smile she'd seen on him since he'd congratulated her that first day. "There is plenty of room. _Thank you_, Highness."

"Then I shall make arrangements," she told him as she let go of his sleeve to find Jinbe.

* * *

><p>Law liked travelling without his mentor, he decided. As he circled overhead of the excessively large compound in search of a place to land, he found it quite peaceful. Relaxing, almost. Usually he'd be surrounded by his lord's entourage, a collection of stuffy old dragons focused on serving their master well that always knew just what to say and how to act to irritate him. That may have been in part due to his own difficult nature, but well, that was a <em>minor<em> detail, really. In any case, the scents of the crowd always vexed him, their irritating banter when their lord was away enough to drive him to rage, and travelling by carriage when he could very well _fly_ was both tedious and arbitrary.

The servants below had spotted him, he could see, as eyes lifted to the skies and clawed fingers pointed his way, but beyond that there was little reaction. They knew who he was and why he was there; unlike his lord, _he_, at least, understood the importance of proper notification when visiting other clans, especially the residences of the highly-esteemed Saint Beasts. He'd sent word several days ago now, and again when he was on his way. Now to settle on a place to land…

The dragon blinked, his eyes catching on two small, moving figures darting across one of the gardens, and as he focused in on them he was able to make out two vaguely familiar young faces - _human_ faces. Ah yes, those were the pets he'd come to check on…

It would be rude to dive right into the gardens, he knew, not to mention that when the hatchlings finally spotted him they looked almost scared. He tilted his head at that. How odd it was, for them to be fearful of him when living under the roof of three of the most dangerous beasts alive - ah, he shouldn't call them that, should he? That was _also_ considered rude, he recalled. Nevertheless he removed it from his mind, instead dipping low towards the cobblestone walkway at the front of the building.

Immediately he could feel eyes on him, just the same as during his last visit. The servants were always so easily spooked - lesser mythos, no doubt, and certainly not as high up on the social ladder as himself. His species marked one of the cornerstones of their world and so he was naturally held in high regard, even if within his clan he was frowned upon. The thought had him rustling his scales, a small, breathy noise escaping him as he took a step forward, elongated claws clacking against the stone. The looks he was getting were uneasy, anxious, and he was feeding off those emotions as he stepped closer to the front entrance.

A servant girl stopped him on his way, stepping between him and the doorway, and he frowned as she inclined her head towards the ground. "Forgive me, most honoured guest, but…" Her voice trailed off and he noised a displeased grunt, earning a flinch from the woman. _Out with it_. "I'm afraid… I'm afraid I must ask you to transform before granting you entry. Master Izo has implemented a new code of conduct, you see… as well as a few restrictions. I'm sorry if this is an inconvenience to you."

The dragon tilted his head, letting out a soft, questioning noise, but was given no further explanation. It was a while before it dawned on him that outside of close personal relations, it was considered highly inappropriate to stay in that form. He never really understood that; that was him, his _true_ form, and how it could be considered rude or wrong to be himself just flew over his head. Such ridiculous reasoning it was. That form they all collectively took was little more than a ruse - fake.

Still, visiting another's dwellings it was important to follow their rules…

Before he had a chance to obediently morph into his other form his eyes caught on a blur of red and white, and he lifted his sight to eye the tiger as a slightly familiar scent wafted his nose. That was Byakko, correct? He recalled the Saint Beast was very familiar with Lord Dragon - friends, even… He bowed his head in greeting.

The tiger raised an eyebrow as he waltzed over, his posture relaxed, slouched comfortably as he approached. Well, he certainly seemed to be at home… Law was almost jealous. "Is there a problem?" he asked casually.

The girl jump slightly and quickly turned to face the lord before averting her eyes, having not heard his timely approach. "Ah - it's not a problem, Master Thatch! I was… simply informing the young lord of the new rules Master Izo has put in place…"

"That so?" He blinked, and then grinned as he turned to the dragon, looking him over curiously. Law had to tense under the Saint Beast's silent inspection; having a _tiger_, of all creatures, looking him over like that filled him with a mild sense of unease. Ordinarily something like that would not faze him but, well, he supposed it was just natural instinct. Their clans were enemies in nature, after all. When Byakko sniffed the air he felt his scales rustle, and he bent away slightly. "Ahh, you're that young fledgeling Dragon's been toting around, aren't you? Hardly recognised ya," he chuckled. Law wasn't sure what was so funny. Of course he hadn't; he was in his other form during his last visit.

Law shifted his weight, his claws scraping against the ground as he grumbled low in his throat, catching the attention of some of the wandering mythos.

Thatch looked on in amusement. "Eager to get inside, I take it? She's right, though - best to change before you go in, else Izo'll throw a fit when he sees ya."

After a moment of thought Law nodded, understanding of the lord's concerns, and began his shift, feeling that all too familiar pull as his body shrank down and contorted, hissing slightly as he felt the shape of his legs twist and morph. The odd sensation only ended with him feeling small and cramped, and before he could utter a word of greeting to the Saint Beast a chorus of gasps met his ears. He opened his eyes and looked curiously to the servants' faces, some gawking dumbly his way and others quickly turning from him, and he made a small, confused grunt.

He looked down at himself, his eyes roving over dark, tattooed skin bare to the world, and narrowed his eyes as he looked up at the tiger. "I do not understand. What is the problem?"

Thatch stared long and hard before bursting into laughter and successfully breaking the tension, clapping Law on the back and causing him to almost fall forward. With a height of seven feet and the strength to back it up, the lord was easily strong enough to knock him over. He could be glad that he had good balance. "The hell did you change here for? Don't you have any robes with you?" he asked in question as his chuckles died down. There was no time to answer, though, as he redhead hooked an arm around his shoulders and pulled him inside. "C'mon, you can borrow something from my closet! Might be a little big, though… Marco's, then."

Law pressed his lips together as he was dragged inside, claws scraping along the wooden flooring as he stiffly went along, his unease growing - he'd never been that close to a tiger before, _too close too close._

But soon they were turning into a separate wing of the compound, and he was left alone in a closed room with his would-be predator. The only consolation he felt was when the larger man released him to go searching through the nearby closet for something he could wear. Law rubbed his shoulder, frowning as he watched on wordlessly.

"So," Thatch's voice cut through the silence, his gaze flitting over the dragon for but a moment, "what brings you here? Izo mentioned you're a healer, and you're willing to help out with the cubs - that true?"

He lowered his hand to his side and nodded. "It is. I am supposed to examine them, as well as check the larger one's wounds."

Thatch hummed in thought, frowning as he eyed a red skirt before shaking his head and tossing it back onto the closet shelf, resuming his search. "He's healing pretty well, and honestly I think he'll be okay in a week or so… Thanks, though. Means a lot. Not exactly easy to find healers willing to look after human cubs."

"What does their species matter?" he wondered, eyes narrowed and arms folded across his chest. He'd known a lot of humans over the years - at one point he was practically ingrained within the society of Pompeii - and as much as he'd heard incessant downtalking of the species since he'd begun travelling with his mentor, he hardly understood what all the fuss was about.

The tiger's only answer was to wave his question away, tossing an underskirt his way. "Try that. How's Dragon, by the way? Been worried about the scaly bastard for a while now. He wasn't looking so well."

Law frowned, attempting to pull the skirt over his legs. He certainly wasn't used to those - the eastern clan was partial to pants, like the tigers, and while he'd worn them on occasion while acting as Lord Dragon's entourage, he wasn't familiar enough with them to say that he was comfortable. "Dragons in rage never look well, no," he muttered casually.

Narrowed brown eyes focused on him, and he could feel the pierce of that gaze even when facing the other way. "You knew?"

"He didn't tell me," he muttered, "but I would not be a trustworthy healer if I could not tell."

Thatch snorted, nodding as he resumed his search, this time for an overskirt, most likely. Honestly Law could do without the many layers - or any layers at all, really. He rather detested clothing; its only purpose was to decrease his mobility and make life more difficult. No matter how many times Dragon tried to explain away the social customs of the clans, he never got it. "You've got a point there," the tiger acknowledge. "But really, how's he doin'? Lizard bastard told me he only had weeks, at most."

The dragon pressed his lips together, pausing in his attempts to pull on the underskirt as he stared hard at the wall. In truth he… hadn't realised how little time his mentor had. It was hard to guess without a proper examination, and of course he knew that if he'd mentioned it Dragon would have gone sullen… He couldn't have that. The lord was hard enough to deal with when he wasn't in rage. Law wasn't too keen on having his head torn from his shoulders, or his blood spilled all over the finely-crafted tapestries of the western dragon compound. "He left."

"Left?" the tiger prompted, pausing in his search to narrow his eyes on the younger.

There was a nod as the dragon pulled the skirt up his legs and tied it around his waist. "To find someone to dispose of him, I would assume. Before rage sets in."

Byakko's eyes widened before settling, and he cursed under his breath as he buried his head back in the closet. "...He asked me, you know. When you were last here. But damn it, I couldn't do it… He was asking too much." The tiger heaved a sigh, tossing him another handful of cloth. "Dragon's young, though. Normally your kind lasts what, five hundred years? Seven? He's barely reached three."

Law nodded, cocking his head to the side as he tried to make sense of the overskirt. By the colours and heavily-detailed embroidery he knew it to be phoenix garb - that of Suzaku, presumably. Though this clothing wasn't nearly as heavily layered as the traditional regalia he'd seen the lord boast about during their last encounter - which was brief to say the least, having only been a few short glimpses down the hall - the patterns and vibrant shades of yellows and oranges and reds were unmistakable. Were he like his peers he may have felt wrong wearing those, unworthy. But for all he cared his biggest problem was how much he hated that style of clothing.

He could see the tiger eyeing him but paid it little mind, struggling with the overskirt before being handed the last of the robes and shrugging them on. Looking down at his fully-robed self with a deep-set frown, he turned towards the door only to have a hand on his shoulder fixing him in place.

"Before I let you see them, I got something to ask ya. Got a minute?"

Well, he didn't really seem to have much choice, now did he? Still he gave a wordless nod, turning back to the Saint Beast with a bored expression.

Thatch stared him dead in the eyes and firmly asked, "What are your opinions of humans?"

He blinked confusedly, tilting his head. "Opinions?"

Heaving a sigh, the tiger removed his hand from Law's shoulder to rub the back of his neck, averting his eyes. "We're… a bit protective of the boys, you could say." Yes, he noticed that last time he was there; they could get rather hostile. He recalled seeing Suzaku before he left, snapping at a servant offering him assistance. The stories dragon told had him spoke of how calm and collected the bird was, how hard he was to anger, so it was very telling of how closely bonded he was to the hatchlings. He assumed - correctly - that the other two were the same. "We don't want any toxic attitudes flung their way, ya got me?"

Law frowned, even more confused than before. "I do not believe attitudes and opinions to be harmful. I've yet to come across a patient who'd grown ill from something like that."

The tiger let out an exasperated breath, rolling his eyes. "Not _physically_, Scales, just - answer with question, damn it."

Deciding not to ask, his frown deepened. "I have no opinion on them that I do not share for mythos. Dragons are very supportive of their species, as you know, and I am no different. If that reasoning is not enough for you then I spent a portion of my childhood within a human settlement."

The question now answered, he spun around and slid open the door, stepping out into the hallway and sniffing the air. There were a myriad of scents all tangled together, most from servants who he couldn't care less about, but very faintly through the web of unneeded stenches he caught a whiff of something vaguely familiar that tugged at the back of his mind. Without hesitation he walked forward, his feet leading him towards it, ignoring the second set of steps that fell in rhythm with his own as Thatch made to escort him. There was no more interrogation, so he presumably gave a good answer to the last.

The tiger was going on about something or another - something about a lobster if his half-hearted attention was to be trusted - when a far-off sound had him focusing ahead of him, his ears perking forward as he heard it again. There was a soft patter followed by tiny voices just beyond the hall and he pressed on until coming to stop at a door. Yes, the hatchlings were definitely there… The smell from within was almost overwhelming, and he braced himself for entry.

He blinked up when he heard Byakko stop beside him, a sloppy grin on the man's face. "They've been getting their energy back. Still really easily spooked, though, so be careful. They're just cubs, barely weaned."

Law nodded, taking the advice to heart. He admittedly did not work well with children… or much of anyone. Dragon once referred to him as 'socially inept'. Whatever help he could get was greatly appreciated.

His fingertips pressed against the grooves of the door and he slid it open, dull grey eyes flitting about the room and fixing on a tiny figure barreling towards him. There was no time to dodge as the hatchling stumbled over his own feet before the dragon, flailing as he fell forward and latched onto the fabric of Law's skirt. That extra support did little to stop his descent and the boy hit the floor with a thud.

The fabric went with him.

Law scowled as both skirts untied, leaving his lower half bare to the world once again, and a hysterically-laughing tiger leaning against the frame for support. Ah, he must not have tied them well enough. It wasn't too surprising; he'd little practice. With a sigh he lifted the cloths and redid them, this time tugging on them twice for good measure.

The boy on the ground groaned, scrabbling up to sit back on his haunches and rub his forehead, the larger one that was chasing him coming to kneel beside him, a tiny hand on the little one's back. "_Lu? You okay?"_

"_Mm! I fell, shishishi…"_

The elder - Ace, he recalled - rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated breath. "_I can see that. You hurt anywhere?"_

"_Nope!"_ the little one grinned - Luffy, wasn't it?

Then two sets of large eyes were turning to him, fixing him under his gaze as the elder flinched away just the slightest bit. He could see a mix of fear and unease on their faces before recognition set in, and Luffy grin widened ear to ear as he pointed his finger Law's way.

"_Atche, look! It's the radish guy!"_

Ace blinked, narrowing his eyes a moment before allowing his shoulders to slouch, his muscles to relax. The dragon paid their reactions little mind, however, instead focusing on the bandaged arms of his newest patient. "_Yeah, it is… What's he doing here, ya think?"_

"_Is the scary guy here? Are they gonna play with us again?!"_

"_I don't think so, Lu…"_

Law was about to step towards them when he felt a sudden, harsh slap to his back, and he grunted as he stumbled forward, glaring back at a grinning tiger. Byakko didn't seem all that affected as he entered the room, clapping the dragon's shoulder once again. "Hey there, cubs. _Feel good?_"

He blinked. That was a human language - one he'd yet to hear, yet sounded vaguely familiar as he mouthed the words in mimick.

The hatchlings looked between one another before giving the tiger their attention and nodding. "_My head's kinda sore, though…"_

"_That's 'cause you just fell, idiot."_

Thatch laughed. "That's good! Alright, this guy right here? This is Law. _Radish help your hurts._"

They giggled, covering their mouths with their hands, and Law had to wonder what the tiger said that they found so funny.

"_His name is Radish, Atche!"_

"_I know, Lu,"_ the elder snickered. "_What a stupid name…"_

"Alright, alright," Thatch waved off their laughter, kneeling before them with his hands on their shoulders. The younglings seemed… more relaxed than during their last encounter - still jumpy yet a little less reserved than before, more relaxed. He assumed whatever trauma the incident caused was starting to fade. That was good. That meant that they would be more cooperative during the check-up. "Enough messing around. I'm sure the nice doctor has plenty of important things to get to, so let's not keep him waiting, okay? Ace, _show hurts?_"

Ace blinked, his eyes scrolling down to his hands, eyeing the fresh-looking bandages covering his skin before turning his attention to the mythos pair and nodded, his lips pressed together. Apparently he had some trust for Law, or if not that, he at least trusted Byakko's word.

The dragon cleared his throat, straightening his poster and freely stepping into the room. He gave it a quick glance-over, pondering the comfortable pillows bunched in the corner, the wide, open flooring littered with old mythos toys, expensive fabrics used as blankets, and looking at the boys' clothing itself, well… it was clearly not a set up to house pets. His mentor had mentioned that observation, too, on their way back from the meeting. He also recalled hearing stories of how little Lord Suzaku liked humans. Curious…

He took a seat on one of the cushions surrounding a low-rise table and beckoned the boys near. The little one bounded over without so much as a second thought and quickly placed himself in the dragon's lap. Law narrowed his eyes. That was not what he'd been asking for. Perhaps it was a cultural barrier…

"_O-oi, Lu! What are you doing?!"_ Ace sputtered slowing to a halt near them and growing pale.

The younger pouted at his sibling, only nestling himself more comfortably in Law's lap despite the other's very obvious protests. "_But Atche, he's Thatchy's friend! And he's nice! Right?"_ As though to back up whatever he was saying, the boy twisted his torso around to stare at dragon with large, dark eyes, tugging on his sleeve.

Whatever he was asking went over Law's head, however, as he stared him down evenly. "What does he want? I don't speak their tongue."

Thatch rolled his eyes as he came to sit across from the healer, prodding a very pale Ace along with him. "More or less he wants to know if you'll let him sit there. I think. I don't know, Izo's the only one who _really_ knows the language, and I'm pretty sure he's with Father right now. Stupid turtle…"

"Ahh…" Law returned his attention to the hatchling now crawling up his front and nodded. "Yes. That is fine." It wasn't like he hadn't been close to humans before… There was none of this irritating 'social decorum' back then. "Provided he does not get in the way of my examination."

The boy seemed pleased with that as he continued his climb until he was seating himself on Law's shoulders, his hands gripping the horns Law'd forgotten to disguise with a noise of fascination and intrigue. He gave them a tug and Law grunted in response. It didn't _hurt_, per se, but the pulling on his forehead was a less than pleasant experience. "_Atche! Atche look! He has these things! The other guy with him didn't have these… And he didn't have them last time, either!"_

"_He's a monster, Lu. What do you expect?"_ Ace shuffled closer, far more reluctant than his brother as he came to stand before the healer, unsure of what to do. "_Bet they all have stuff like that… like Thatchy with those tattoo things, and Master Marco with his legs."_

Luffy hummed, resting his chin atop Law's head as the dragon nodded Ace closer. "_Mmmm what about Izo?"_

"_The things on his neck,"_ he stated quietly, tapping his own to back up his words.

"_Oooh! Right, shishishi!"_

Once Ace got close enough - and it took far more goading to get him to do so than he was comfortable with - Law grabbed the boy beneath his arms and lifted him onto the table. Surprisingly there was no flinch, and he could only assume that it was something he'd grown accustomed to. Dragon told him of their vague stories of abuse, of how easily frightened they were, so he'd come there expecting to be perceived as a threat. Apparently he'd assumed the worst, because this was not at all what he'd prepared himself for. The younger's clinginess, while a little grating, was tolerable, and both were being cooperative. This was good, very good.

He placed his fingertips to the bandages of the right arm first. If he recalled, it was the one most severely damaged on that day; he could tell from the stench. Carefully he began to unravel them, both boys curiously watching as the off-white cloth fell away to reveal reddened, malformed skin.

...But not _too_ red.

Law pressed his lips together and pulled the arm closer for inspection, being careful not to hurt the boy - which he probably would have, had he not had years worth of practice dealing with his mentor's wounds, because for some unfathomable reason he _insisted_ on sparring with the fledgelings. Dragon was someone he decided he would never understand. Shaking his head free of that thought, he scanned the burns closely before wordlessly removing the bandages of the other arm and doing the same.

"Something wrong?" Thatch finally asked, his head resting in his hand as he watched on with curiosity and a thinly-veiled worry.

Law shook his head. "They are almost healed."

Immediately the tiger sat up, his eyes widening. "...Already? But those were _bad_ burns. They shouldn't-"

"I am telling you what I see, Milord." He ran his clawed fingers along the boy's wrist, listening carefully for any sort of reaction. There was no whimper of pain, no shifting of discomfort. The least of the damage had already healed over, scarred but otherwise without complication, and the worst of it on the boy's palms didn't carry nearly the severity he expected to find. It didn't seem to hurt all that much, as even though Ace winced when it was touched, he never flinched away. The whole thing… _intrigued _him. "For now you can stop bandaging them; the fresh air will do them some good. Keep them clean, and I have a salve for you to use. Follow my instructions and I'm certain the wounds will fully close within the upcoming week."

* * *

><p>Marco didn't know what he was doing really, knocking on the door to the inner sanctum of the merfolk palace. True, as Lord Suzaku it was his right to go anywhere he wished unimpeded, but he had never been so tempted to abuse those rights before. He'd always imagined how he and his brothers would feel if someone were to just barge into their home and start ordering them about. With a wince that was barely there he thought of his pets, wondering not for the first time if that was what the world was like for them now. If so he could understand their fear, though he actually missed that fire they'd shown on that first day - the energy. Izo kept telling him to give them time, but it had been hard. And now he'd been away from them. True, this time his brothers were watching them and he knew in his heart they'd let nothing befall the tiny hatchlings, but he worried still.<p>

What if they forgot him? That was a long time for a human, longer still if they kept the negotiations here. But how could he ask Otohime to leave her fry? Especially for his human pets? No, he'd wait until a servant answered the door and politely request that they tell the Queen he had changed his mind. The hatchlings were fine without him; he could be away a bit longer… But what if they needed him? He was so caught up in his inner turmoil Marco didn't realise, at first, that the door had opened, one of the young princes staring at him.

"Mama? It's Master Marco and he's acting funny!"

"Fukaboshi! That's not a nice thing to say!" Suddenly Otohime was there, herding her giggling young away, "Go play with your brothers. Shoo."

"Yes, Mama!"

Her smile was warm and inviting as she turned back to Marco, and he felt even more guilty for intruding into the private wing. "Marco, come on in. I was just finished feeding my fry. Would you like to see her?"

"No, no. I didn't mean to intrude. I just wanted to - "

"If you're about to suggest we finish negotiations here, I won't have it." Her seafoam-blue eyes danced with amusement, "Truly, my Lord, getting away for a while will be good for me. My mate will care for the young and our people just fine."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stepped into the room. However, he didn't approach the small pool where her newest young swam in contented circles. "But your fry... I really have no wish to put you out, yoi. It seems like such a foolish request."

"It is not foolish if it means so much to you." She knelt, beckoning him over, and he was helpless to do anything but comply. The water rippled slightly as a chubby fry scuttled around. The pool was deep and wide enough that the large young - a trait inherited from Otohime's mate to be sure - had more than enough room to swim. A few dense balls of moss bobbed at different heights, safe toys for one so young. "Neptune is hoping it's another boy, but I have a feeling we've had a girl," the queen confided in him, letting her fingers brush the surface of the pool. The fry lightly gummed the hand.

Marco smiled down at the fry. At this young age the scales on the tail were still a neutral sand color and the young had yet to develop any hair. But the fry already had their mother's eyes. "I promise I'll have you back before they're old enough to be properly sexed."

Otohime chuckled. "Then you have two weeks of my time, my Lord. Aren't they beautiful?"

"Yes, just like their mother, yoi."

"Flatterer. I'm going to tell my mate you said that."

"Please don't. I rather like my tail feathers," he joked back warmly. Neptune's love of his mate was well known and, while they were friends, the man did not take jokes about people hitting on her well. If anything, though, he became sullen. "He is going to be a mess if you are right and the fry is a girl, yoi."

"I almost feel sorry for the fishman or merman that courts her." Otohime sighed, leaning on Marco's arm. "Almost. I am a mother, after all."

As he nodded in agreement, Marco wondered if it was strange that his mind wandered to his pets.

* * *

><p>Law wasn't entirely sure why he was still there. He managed to finish examining the boys, and for all that they were scarred they were certainly in good health, better than expected. He found it odd, though, that the injuries from whatever abuse they suffered allegedly lingered far longer than Ace's burns. Their diets still had to be monitored and they couldn't eat much in one sitting, which was expected for humans, but their backs were still pained if touched in certain areas. He'd determined that it wasn't anything serious, that it would heal with time, but for that to still trouble them when the boy's most recent injury was mostly healed… It intrigued him.<p>

He was supposed to leave after that. No, he didn't really have anywhere he needed to be, but he was told to return afterwards. Dragon's mother was a little snappish as of late, understandable when her son had left with nary a word, and it would have been unwise to test her. But there he was.

The hatchlings had dragged him over to a large, sliding door that opened to the gardens, and he was currently seated on the porch watching them play and run about the grasses. He'd already been there before; even if he had missed it while flying, he'd come in through there the last time he visited, so he knew the area. Absently he wondered if they ever got a lock for the door.

Lord Genbu lowered beside him, pale skin smoothing out his robes as he crossed his legs, and Law leaned back against the wall as he stared out at the humans still scurrying about. One had started chasing the other in some nameless game, the little one giggling as he ran to hide behind the large tree in the yard, and he had to wonder if that was how siblings were supposed to act.

"You seem down," the Saint Beast observed, smiling his way. "Thank you, though. For helping with them."

He met the lord's silvery stare evenly before returning his attention to the hatchlings, his hands tangled together in his lap. "I am more irked than down, I believe. It's fine; I don't mind. This is part of my duties."

"Irked?" he raised a thin eyebrow, his arms wrapped around his knees. "The children? Or is this about Dragon?"

Law pressed his lips together but didn't say a word. He didn't need to, though; that seemed to be all Izo needed to understand. But the moment didn't last. Soon the younger one was running towards him, tugging at his arm, and he blinked. "Yes?"

Luffy grinned, giving his wrist another pull. "_Come play with us! Master Marco hasn't been here and it's been so BORING 'cause Thatchy sleeps a lot and Izo doesn't play outside… So c'mon!"_

"_Lu,"_ Ace approached, rolling his eyes, "_Y'gotta speak like them, remember?"_

"_Oh, right! Shishishi!_ Play?"

"_Idiot."_

Law frowned uncomfortably, never budging from his seat. "Noisy little things, I see."

"Sometimes," Izo laughed amusedly, ruffling the human's hair. "But would you believe me if I said they weren't like this before? We had a talk with them… I think it helped. I'm hoping, at least."

He didn't plan on moving until Ace joined in on the prodding, wincing as his burns were irritated, and that combined with a knowledge that if he stayed put the lord would interrogate him more about Dragon, Law rose with a groan, allowing himself to be dragged out into the grasses. But he could not _play_ with hatchlings. He _couldn't_, and he _knew_ that, so as soon as he was a safe distance from the porch he transforming, his body twisting and contorting, growing, claws and teeth elongating as the expensive, finely-crafted robes were torn from his body. When it was done he stretched, feeling like he actually had breathing room again, and curled up in a ball on the grass, lying comfortable even as he heard the lord's reprimands from behind.

"You - you - what did we say about changing in front of them?!"

Nothing, he recalled. He hadn't been briefed about anything concerning it, and the only time the subject was brought up at all was at the front entranceway when the servant girl had stopped him. He opened his eyes to see the hatchlings had backed away, staring at him with wide eyes. Ah, were they afraid, then? Then it would make sense for Lord Genbu to prohibit that form… except soon enough Luffy was stumbling forward, pressing his hands to the dragon's snout.

Law blinked.

"_C-careful, Lu…"_ Ace's approach was slower, as it had been throughout the day. The youngest was certainly the more open of the two, more trusting, and he believed that played a part in just why their recovery was going so well. If left up to Ace, it was doubtful they'd recover so smoothly.

"_But Atche, look!"_ the boy explained, pulling on the dragon's nostrils and earning a pained hiss as Law squirmed to get away, just barely able to reign himself in before he knocked the boy over. _Brat._ "_He's so cool! He's like - like a dragon or something!"_

"_H-he IS a dragon, Luhfi…"_

"_That's soooooo cool! I wanna be a dragon! Can I?"_

Slowly, Ace's shoulders relaxed and he stopped beside his brother, hands on his hips and letting out a huff. "_You can't just DECIDE to be a dragon. Y'gotta be born one."_

"_Aww…"_

And then their attention was back on him, and he winced in preparation of more pulling and pain only to find a hand running along the scales of his neck. That… was tolerable. That he could manage.

Izo approached, surprise on his face as he looked at the two. It wasn't hard to tell that the lord had expected them to be afraid, too, and what followed was a mildly pleased look, one of satisfaction as he went to sit back on the porch after fetching his sewing equipment. "Well, this is… certainly new. Welcomed."

He supposed he could stay like that a while. The day was young, and the sky was bright - perfect for sunbathing. Deciding that, he flopped onto his side, earning equal squeaks of surprise from the humans as they lost their balance and fell against him, Luffy giggling all-the-while. That brat certainly had energy to spare.

"They were afraid of mythos before, for a lot of reasons. I think they still are," Izo continued. "So seeing some progress is… nice."

"_Hey, hey Atche, you think he wants a belly rub?"_

"_I don't think so, Lu…"_

The boy looked Law in the eyes, making gestures with his hand. "Pet?"

Law blinked, understanding the question, and… no. He did not want to be _pet._ He was sunbathing. But the hatchling took his silence as permission - as though he could speak in that form - and went ahead and rubbed the scales of his stomach. It didn't feel bad, really, so… he allowed it, for the time, his eyes fluttering closed and a tiny purr rumbling from his gut.

"They're young," the turtle stated, "too young to have gone through that… The little one's only about four."

Ace had taken that chance to climb onto his side and play with his horns and ears, to which Law found he was able to ignore with relative ease and instead focus on what the lord said, giving him a quizzical look. That did not sound right. No, not at all. But he let it slide, figuring to most mythos it would probably seem that way.

"_Hey, look: he doesn't have wings."_

Luffy's petting paused just a moment as he looked up, his grin widening. "_He's like the statues in the village! Those were more colourful, though… Does that mean he can't fly?"_

"_Well, the ones back home were supposed to… Like, on clouds 'n stuff."_

"_I wanna see!"_

Ace rolled his eyes, sliding back down to the ground and leaning against the dragon as he sat, yawning. His brother was quick to crawl into his lap, both closing their eyes.

Law watched with mild curiosity. His new patients just kept on surprising him.

It was almost enough to distract him from how very wrong everything felt, and the uncertainty of what would happen to him when his mentor never returned.

Perhaps the rage of Dragon's mother was well worth the risk.

* * *

><p><strong>Bonus 1<strong>

"It might make them feel more comfortable with us if we all stuck to the same term-one that they are already familiar with," Izo suggested as he watched the hatchlings play with the ball in the garden.

"They don't seem to mind," Thatch weakly protested. Izo thought it was more on principle than anything else, given the way his brow was furrowed. "What _do_ they call their young, anyway?"

"You don't remember, oh great traveller of lands?"

"Hey, you're out there almost as much as I am. How much attention do _you_ really give to their kin units?"

Izo sniffed, pretending to be offended. After a moment he spoke, breaking the silence. "I think it's something like... kids?"

"No no, that's the goat clans," Thatch replied, shaking his head.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, that little nanny Conis just had one a few years ago." Izo had forgotten about that. "Maybe kits?"

"Doesn't have the right feel to it. Foals? No, that's not right either. I could have sworn there was a word..."

Thatch frowned, looking at the boys. "This is going to drive me nuts. I _know_ I've heard it. Chicks? No, that doesn't sound right. Damn. What _is it_ they call their young?"

"Ace, Luffy," Izo called, getting the hatchlings' attention. They were getting nowhere and it couldn't hurt to ask the little ones. In moments both boys were obediently standing before them, Luffy clutching the ball to his chest as he stared wide-eyed at Izo's chin. They would have to work harder on getting them to make eye contact… but that was a challenge for another day. At least they _looked_ at them now. Izo smiled gently down at the boy. "_Youngling, what is it other humans call you?_"

"_That isn't your name_," Thatch elaborated when the boy opened his mouth.

If they had not been used to the hatchlings and their odd way of communicating without words sometimes, they might have missed it. The way Luffy hit his lip as he glanced at his brother, or the way Ace tensed like he was expecting a blow. Still, the boy answered, looking at the ground. "_Bastard_."

"What?" Thatch sputtered indignantly when he translated the word. Izo understood completely, feeling the same anger swell in him. But he reached out to calm the tiger before he scared the little ones. "Ace, is this true?"

Ace flinched. "_Sometimes_. _Sometimes_ '_shitty_ _brat'_." He shrugged, looking at his feet. Sometimes other things, Izo was sure. He didn't want to know any more though.

Izo gently reached out and carded his hands through hair that was just starting to get long. "Good boys. _We won't call you that. Ever. Those are not nice._ You are our little hatchlings, humm?"

"Or cubs."

"Yes. Or cubs. Alright?" Both boys nodded, still obviously tense. He couldn't blame them. They most likely could tell the two of them were mad, even if it wasn't at them. "Go play."

Like a flash they were gone. Thatch let out a sound like a growl, but softer. "We never tell Marco of this. Ever."

"Agreed."

* * *

><p><strong>Bonus 2<strong>

"My Lord?" a servant asked, eyeing Whitebeard's position with more than a little bit of concern. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, just fine," he answered in a hushed voice, trying to wave the servant off.

"But you're crouched by the wall. Sire, _that_ garden is where they keep those..." He could see the woman struggle to find a politer word and he narrowed his eyes at her in warning. It wasn't her place to question a saint beast, even less her place to belittle what his sons held dear. "..._Humans,_" she finished lamely.

"I am well aware of the fact. This is my home, after all."

"Then why...?"

"That is nothing for you to worry about." _And spread rumors on. No wonder the boys are worried about the calves._ "You may leave." He offered her a warm smile, trying not to judge her for her views. "And if you could, keep the courtyard clear? I believe I would like to relax out in the sun today. There is no need to alarm yourselves over it all."

"Oh... I-I see, my Lord. Very well." She curtsied and left him, most likely not fooled in the slightest.

Whitebeard didn't care much as long as he wasn't disturbed. If he constantly had to keep explaining himself, he was _sure_ the calves would hear the voices and get spooked. No, it was better to spy on them silently. Marco was away, and what his eldest son didn't know wouldn't get him in trouble. Besides, he had waited long enough, and he wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Peeking over the wall he was saddened to see nothing at first; the garden was empty. Resting one large hand on the wall he let out an almost silent sound of disappointment. He stayed that way for a while until Izo appeared on the covered porch. When the turtle's sharp eyes fell on him almost immediately, Whitebeard froze, offering his son a small wave with two fingers and a smile. He knew he had been caught when he had _specifically_ been told to stay away. Izo had every right to be pissed… except he didn't seem to be. Besides a look of mild exasperation he seemed amused by his father. Whitebeard took that as a good sign no one would be telling Marco of this, even if he didn't get to see the calves.

"Ace, Luffy, come down before you fall," Izo called, looking slightly over to the where he couldn't see.

The tree almost right up against the wall rustled. "Not fall. Good _what's the word? Climbing?_" A young voice grumbled, trailing off unintelligibly.

"Good at climbing," Izo chucked.

"Ace and Luffy good at climbing. Not fall!" The voice that declared this sounded younger than the first.

"WE are good at climbing. WE will not fall," Izo corrected, a warm smile on his face. Whitebeard was amazed the human calves were learning so quickly. They must have been very smart; mythos language wasn't easy, and proved a challenge for even grown humans to understand. "Not hungry?"

"Food! Yes please!" He swallowed his laughter at the quick change of tune as the tree shook. Two tiny bodies dropped from its lowest branches, standing a bit unsteadily at first in the shade of the tree.

When they trotted eagerly up to Izo, Whitebeard got his first good look at them. They were much smaller calves then he had expected, given how well they spoke already. He knew his sons had warned him they were weanlings, but seeing it was another thing entirely. _How could any mythos feel threatened by these?_ They were so small, and so obviously wary, even around Izo whom they had known for a while. He knew the look of those who had been pushed too far-those who had been cruelly used. Time was the only thing for those kinds of wounds.

Still, he could see why Izo insisted on teaching them as he listened to them attempt to ask for Marco. It was admittedly adorable. Young and orphaned as they were, he supposed it was good they had taken so readily to his son. It would be good for Marco, and as long as he showed them even the slightest bit of care -_as if there was any doubt he would_- they would never turn on him. Humans were funny that way when they imprinted young.

His parental worries quelled, he settled in to watch the calves as they played. Young ones at play always made him smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Harpies: The Harpy clan is a matriachy, with the females being larger and more common than the males who usually stay closer to the eyries and nesting grounds. All Harpies are able to fly, having the lower body of a bird and chest and head of a human-like form. Unlike many mythos, harpies continue to nest in human lands, claiming the hunting is better. Most flocks rarely migrate, though great migrations do occur in order to strengthen ties between the flocks. Whether they mean animals or human when they say that depends on the flock. Hina is a Harpy, and one of the ruling flock-leaders.<strong>

**Elementals: Elementals are a 'younger' clan of mythos. Every element has a tie to a specific element to a greater or lesser extent, which is where they derived their clan name. For example, a water elemental might be able to call rain on a sunny day, or just cause waves on a puddle. The discrepancy in power levels is primarily do to the fact that their clan is still younger compared to older clans like the Harpies, Dragons, Hawks, Merfolk and the like. This does not mean they are not as a whole powerful, however; just that there is a large gap in their clan. Elementals share many traits with humans, save for distinctive markings that vary from member to member and a propensity for vibrant colored hair and eyes. Akainu and Shanks are both elementals. Akainu is the leader of the clan, and Shanks is his chosen heir.**

* * *

><p><strong>WE HAVE UPDATED. And I hope you enjoyed, we included some bonus drabbles for you guys, as you can see, and we've decided to post a few to the story's tumblr blog the few days before we post each update, so long as we have the time, so that should be fun. We're going to be working on some new projects, too, both personally and together… I'm not sure when they'll be posted, but yeah, we have stuff coming for you guys now that the big bang is over! So, until next time~<strong>

**To our lovelies~**

**Miki3: (B) Thanks! We spend a lot of time going back and forth with the little details when it comes to building the world. I think it's one of the reason's it comes across so solidly. (A) That and, well, I'm overly picky XD I swear I can't believe Beddy hasn't strangled me yet. **

**LinkNotZelda****: (B) Almost as happy I am that you are reading it? (A) We're really happy to hear you like it that much .**

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**SisterAssassins: ****(B) Here's the next chapter! (A) We'll continue, but you have to be patient, yeah? As much as we'd love to work on this story every day, there are more important things that take priority. So just wait and more chapters will come.**

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**toothless20: (B) Here's the next chapter. Please keep in mind we both have our own stories to work on and lives, which have honestly sucked recently. We update when we can. (A) A lot of things come before writing, so please keep that in mind. We do what we can, and we can't do any more than that. **

**Questionable Answers: ****(B) I'm trying to convice Anj to one day rework slightly and publish. She keeps saying no. (A) We do not need that, no. Hush, Beddy.**

**Carol Zoldik: (B) Thank you very much! Here's the next chapter! (A) Thank you, we are glad to hear that! Heeeeere's the update~**

**zala123attha: ****(B) WOOT! We have a convert! Join us! Sorry for the wait. (A) Ahahaha yesssss gooooood! Join ussss! Fantasy can be really engaging so long as it's written carefully, so it's good that you're enjoying the genre! Thissss will not be MarcoAce, though XD We have some side pairings planned, though. But for MarcoAce I'm afraid all I can offer is the stuff on my personal account XD**

**Yvonne Park: (B) We have a father and mother picked out for Luffy and Ace. I can't say anything more than that. The whole thing is plotted out, but it's going to be a while before we get to that. (A) This story's plot is kiiiiiinda ridiculously huge because we don't just focus on the main cast, so getting to reveal everything will take a while, but you'll figure out a lot more about the boys with time, worry not~**

**Aerle: ****(B) We felt it was better not to rush the story along. (A) Some progress might feel slow, but everything being mentioned is important, so we've opted not to leave anything out XD Plus world building, and introducing the issue at hand. That will be coming up soon, though, worry not.**

**subaru1999: (B) Thank you! We put a lot of work into both the language issues and which mythological beings are going to be used. The whole world we built is very detailed, and I hope we're able to convey that. (A) It gets more than a little complicated further in… It's gonna get difficult for us XD But I have confidence! Thank you, we will~**

**Olympian-King: ****(B) Marco is still totally in denial about being a papa though. ;) And yes, the boys follow him around like ducklings a lot…. That's a good question. What kind of mythos do you think he'd be? (A) If Luffy was a mythos, huh? That… is a very good question. I can think of a whole bunch of possibilities XD ...Fae!Lu would be adorable I think. I need to draw that one day.**

**Belcuore: (B) Thank you for the amazing review! Never apologize for a long one! I'm so happy you enjoyed our story. The reason Luffy feels under-used is for one thing, he's younger than his brother. He's HIGHLY dependent on Ace, and while generally a friendly kid, he doesn't really fully understand what's going on. That's a good thing as you can see from this chapter (he's recovering faster and dragging Ace with him) but at the same time, it makes for boring reading if we wrote it in Luffy's POV. Mostly he'd shift from being shy to scared to curious a lot. (A) Aw, AUs are fun! But it's understandable, a lot of them aren't handled well, which is sad… Adjfhgkj thank you, you made me gush . Luffy's POV will be used further in the story, but because of what Beddy said, we wouldn't be able to get across as much as we need to at the moment. But Luffy's role is very important, and I think you'll come to see that further in, rest assured :) Yeah, Marco has… issues to work through. But he's getting there. Slowly. Painfully slowly. Yes, Thatch is amazing. Could you imagine what would have happened if he wasn't there to help Marco? I don't wanna think about it XD**

**Alana33****: (B) Many reviews are always welcome! (A) Hehehe very glad you're enjoying hun!**

**NecromancyAngel: (B) Thanks! Here's the next chapter. (A) Thank you very much~**

**AaliyaIronHeart****: (B) We should come up with a word, JUST for it. (A) Aww thank you, you're so sweet .**

**Lily Noir: (B) Hey, Anj, can I blame all MY spelling mistakes on my phone? Really, you flatter us. We spend a lot of time plotting together and then later going over each other's sections to make sure it flows. You should see the notes. (A) Beddy you have plenty of other excuses, no, hush. Thank you so much though! This story will cover a long time, yes, and it goes on quite a bit. The hat and scar you will have to wait and see for, as well as the haki.**

**Ujvari****: (B) Anj is totally to blame for the lobster-talk. Just saying. The offspring terms are fun. Especially when we have a new kind of mythos and we're bouncing ideas around. (A) I am at fault for that yes X'D Fishman island is actually pretty important, as are some other places… I think you can assume that after this chapter though XD **

**Odd-One-Out: (B) THANK YOU! And thanks for waiting! (A) You are very welcome, and thank you .**

**trina: ****(B) All I'll say is one day their world will be bigger than the rooms and the garden. (A) They'll be introduced to more locations with time, do not worry~ The main reason they're being kept there right now is because they're still recovering.**

**zorchide: (B) They do have a family name, but they themselves don't remember it. (A) Yeah they're pretty much lost to their personal details like that.**

**Blue Wolf Mik****o: (B) I'm looking forward to them meeting Whitebeard. Like, ACTUALLY meeting him. (A) Marco will be back next chapter~ And it's not that Ace misses him more, it's that Ace is a lot less comfortable with change. Luffy is more adaptable, so he's okay with others being around when Marco is gone.**

**AuthenticAussie: (B) Love long reviews. Ok, for ships…. there will EVENTUALLY be ships. But that's like, super way down the line. WAYYYY down the line. On average it takes about a month or two to type up a chapter, and then a few days to edit it. Anj does most of the editing, to be honest… Ace is slowly catching on that these strange monsters aren't all that bad. If it wasn't for Luffy, he'd probably still be hiding behind a chair, though. He's not the most trusting of children…. (A) The ships will also be side ships, and they will never be the main focus. Of a chapter, maybe, but not of the story. There also won't be any ships with Ace, Luffy, or Marco, for perspective XD It will cover years is all I think I can get away with saying before Beddy yells at me. The rest, all I can say is… very good questions XD And thanks so much for the review!**

**MaskedPyro****: (B) I think we've all hit our heads on the table, right? At least, I have…. (A) Yeah, I rather enjoyed reading that when Beddy wrote it XD Here's your update~**

**WeevilOne: (B) I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations, since it was another focused more on the world at large. Lots of tension out there. The garden is much more peaceful, right? (A) Glad you liked that part XD The garden is their happy place. Because without the boys I think this story would get reeeeally hard to read as time went on XD**

**uchiha-sakura193****: (B) I don't even remember who's idea that was… Thatch wouldn't REALLY cook his brother…. since he doesn't need to. (A) I wrote it but I'm pretty sure you came up with it Beddy XD I sorta added in the 'Thatch cooking Marco' bit on my own, though. Pfffft XD**

**zenaku8yoru: (B) Total immersion is the way to go! (A) Here's the update!**

**Bard of Chaos****: (B) Did it now? (A) *innocent whistling***

**mittensx7768: (B) Hey now… He just got attacked by a lobster. Cut the guy a break (A) *snicker* It does, doesn't it?**

**PhantoMNiGHT321: ****(B) Law is an attractive Eastern Dragon, and his clan is well respected. It's only natural they'd make such comments. (A) Otohime has a little more of a role in this than canon… hopefully she'll be enjoyable!**

**Mad Y u e: (B) you're very welcome~ I hope this chapter was a good! (A) PFffft omg that image XD You'll get to learn more about him and the others throughout, it'll just take time. Mama-hen Mode sounds terrifying, especially when coming from him.**

**pilvenpiirtaja: ****(B) Mission accoplished. Anj did a lot of research on how to cook lobsters. And sent me a lot of videos. It was sad. (A) Paaaart of the reason there was so much detail in that is because I have a problem with summarizing :'D I tend to put too much detail into things OTL Beddy needs to teach me how to summarize… But thank you, I'm glad you think it matters! .**

**Yoshi: (B) I love it when people catch our little hints and start wondering what's coming. Not ALL of it is going to be bad! But hearing that people see the foreshadowing and want to know what's next make the effort we put into those hints worth it. (A) Ahhh you're so sweet, thank you! We're really happy to hear how much people are enjoying the world building, as it can be quite hard, and I personally find it really fun to switch from writing really closely about how one or two characters feel and then expanding to talking about the world at large and issues surrounding said characters. It keeps writing really fun!**

**LovelyMinx****: (B) I hope you celebrated again! (A) Awwww I'm glad you like that much .**

**Nurofen: (B) Fanart will always be welcome. I'm just saying. (A) Pffft the lobster appreciates that you care, I'm sure XD Really happy to hear that! We try to balance it out as much as we can. We know a lot of people aren't too fond of the political stuff, and we know it can get heavy, so we do our best to include lighter stuff as well. Fanart would be lovely, thank you! We've gotten some already, actually, and it's on the story's tumblr blog if anyone wants to check it out!**

**Molly Grace 16****: (B) Isn't that how it always goes with traumatic things, though? You think you're getting better and then you relapse. (A) But still, that ARE pulling together. It's just a long process!**

**bluedog96: (B) Thanks! (A) Ahh thank you so much! We're glad that our efforts seem to be payign off. Otohime definitely influences him, and you'll see more of that next chapter. Ahaha yeah, poor Thatch just can't seem to get a break XD (Aw XD)**

**Sara: ****(B) Thanks for waiting for the next chapter. It's going to be a bit before the official meeting with Oyaji. But it is planned. I'm excited for it. (A) Don't worry, they'll work through their little disagreement soon enough, I assure you of that. It makes me really happy to hear that. I'm glad that you guys still stick around despite the breaks we have to take, and that so many of you are still enjoying it this far in .**

**Ireadtomuch: (B) I myself do not know the difference between the two butters. Would they be able to make clarified butter with older style kitchens? (A) Lol tbh I hate seafood with a passion so I have no personal experience, so you'll have to forgive a few errors XD**

**XxFire-PhoenixxX****: (B) Marco… I'm kidding. A very brief explanation: It one of the Saint Beasts, in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese mythology, 4 beasts guard the 4 compass points. A tortoise, a phoenix, a tiger, and a dragon. Suzaku is the Japanese name for the Phoenix. (A) You're very welcome~**

**ThiefofStealth: (B) Yes and no, as you can see. Ok, a fireplace. Lots of people are getting rid of them. But basically, there is a stone floor, or hearth, and on it there rests a metal grate. This is what you build your fire on. As the fire burns, coals and pieces of wood fall through the grate (which is there to create a draft to keep the flames going) and land on the hearth, heating it, and they continue to burn. When the fire goes out, you usually have to wait a few hours for all these coals to cool and for the metal to cool as well, because it's literally been surrounded by fire above and below. So, Atche stuck his hand in when the coals were not cooled all the way, and brushed against the hot metal on top of it. (A) I am better now, worry not! But yeah, hopefully that helps explain it. Basically the fire had just stopped burning not long ago, so everything was still way too hot for it to safely be cleaned out with one's hands. To make it worse, as you saw, Atche kept holding on despite it burning his hands, allowing the burns to get worse.**

**ScarletEden****: (B) Thanks for waiting! (A) I'm glad you think so, and I'm so happy you like it as much as you do! Hope this chapter was also worth the wait!**

**6Lisa9: (B) Marco is fooling no one. (A) Whitebeard is going to be a fun addition once he meets the boys~**

**Reheassa: (B) Yeah Marco hopes he's done soon, too. (A) Marco'll be heading back next chapter! And you're very welcome, hun~**

**Adieu~**

***Chapter quote by Nauman Faridi**


	9. The Second Step is Acceptance

**Chapter Quote: _"_**_**The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance."**_

**Bedlam here. Thanks for waiting everyone! This chapter was a bit harder to write since we had to try hard not to give away stuff. I hope you enjoy it. I'm not very verbouse right now because honestly I'm sick and I have stitches in my mouth and I wanna just curl up and die, but Anj and I were determined to get this to you! We feel bad if TOO long goes by, even though we have other things to work on…**

**Anjelle: SO. This chapter. Um. Well. It was admittedly rather hard to work on, but… kinda fun because of that? Fortunately it didn't involve a lot of bickering like some of the others! Technically this is the wrap-up to the mini-arc you've been seeing the past few chapters, and there should be a chapter or two before the next shows up. Good news: you'll get some answers! Kinda sorta. Enjoy~**

*** Just a quick note. Anj and I have noticed that a lot of you are coming to the conclusion that the reason the boys are catching onto the language so fast is because they MUST be half mythos or something. You need to understand that the Mythos language _IS_ very difficult, _BUT_ it's not impossible for a human to learn by any stretch of the imagination. All the mythos have a bias against humans, even Thatch! Humans are 'lesser creatures' to mythos. So as far as they're concerned humans would have a difficult time with the subtle nuances of the mythos tongue. They think there are no languages as complex as their own. This is not really true, but they are prejudice against humans - the dumb ape people. This means they have very low expectations on what Ace and Luffy are capable of learning.**

* * *

><p>When Marco had requested they move the meeting to the main saint beast compound Otohime had naturally gone along with it. Marco himself asked for very little from those who were of a lesser station than him, and even less from those who considered him a friend. It was as if the man felt guilty on some level about his status as a saint beast. She'd noticed Izo and Thatch adopted the same behavior and not for the first time wondered how isolated they must feel, being expected to lead over them all. So many forgot they were mythos just like the rest.<p>

It was amusing, however, to see those members of her court nearly fall over themselves to get ready for the trip. Something that would normally have taken days to organize with the various members going only took a meager number of hours as servants rushed about packing everyone's finest. The plus side was that those stiffer members of her court who were more set in their ways found themselves left out - maybe that would teach them the value of being fluid like water and less hung up on ceremony. Thoughts like that managed to bouy her well past the initial leaving of her own home and away from her youngest fry until they were almost at the main compound. Still, as a mother her heart ached at the thought of being so far from her little ones, _all_ of them, of course, but the youngest most of all. Sometimes being a parent was far tougher than ruling a kingdom, even if the rewards were just as grand. She only hoped that the remaining meetings would not take too long.

"Welcome to our humble home, Your Majesty." Thatch grinned, bowing low as he offered a hand with a flourish to help her out of the carriage. "Thanks for putting up with my birdbrain of a brother."

"Oh no, it is I who should be thanking him. Without Lord Suzaku's timely aid I fear we'd still be caught in the riptide of what has happened," she replied, allowing him to help her from the carriage and ignoring the couriers around her that were already vying for attention. The meetings would not start up again until the lord wished it, and Otohime would not push him - not when he'd come to her so stressed just the night before. No, the main issue had already been dealt with; all that remained were the little nuances that could wait a few more hours.

Thatch was already looking towards Marco, a slight frown on his face as he took in the subtle signs that had her on edge and so willing to agree to the change of venue. "Damn, I knew leaving was going to stress him but he looks like hell."

"Tell me, is Master Genbu alright as well?" she asked, voicing one of the only reasons she could think of that could cause Marco to be so worked up.

"Izo? He's fine." The answer came, slightly distracted as a frown crossed his face, "And before you ask, Oyaji is good, too." A sigh, "Looks like the rest of the meeting is going to have to be put off 'til tomorrow. Sorry."

"No, no. I suspected as much with how agitated Master Suzaku became in the span of the last few hours. Please, let me know if there is anything I can do to help."

The tiger smiled, completely unaware as to how charming it made him look even as he shook his head. "Nah. You just get settled in and I'll drag his royal fluff back to his rooms." His look became softer, and Otohime wondered how many ladies had fallen for that face of his. "If you're feeling up to it later Izo and I will swing by. You know how he is; he's gonna want to know _everything_ about your latest. Congratulations, by the way."

"You are most kind. I would like that; the little one has had great fun playing with those delightful toys Izo sent, and that recipe? I really _must_ thank you; it made the usual… difficulties… a lot easier to bare."

"Always happy to help," he replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah, Marco. We were just talking about the meeting. Otohime and I agreed that tomorrow would really be the best day to start - give everyone a chance to recuperate." Marco gave him a droll stare. "Well, _someone_ has to look out for you."

Otohime placed a hand on Marco's arm before he could begin to scold the other, "Truly it would be for the best. I, for one, could use some time to recover; it has been much too long since I travelled so far from my kingdom and I am not at my best."

Blue eyes bore into her, easily seeing through the lie even as she kept the pleasant look on her face, delicately raising one eyebrow in a silent question of whether or not he was going to challenge her claim. Wisely he did not, instead deflating under her hand. "You're right, yoi." Louder he spoke, "We shall continue negotiations in the morning. For now, rest and make yourselves feel welcome. Your Majesty, if you'd like to accompany us while servants prepare quarters for you? I'm sure Izo would enjoy your company. That is, if you are feeling up to it?" His own eyebrow rose.

"But of course, my lord." She ducked her head, hoping that by going with them she could find out once and for all what had her old friend so worked up.

Otohime followed behind Marco and Thatch at an acceptable distance. For all that she was a queen, they were saint beasts and this was their home. It wouldn't do to behave like she was an equal, even if Thatch kept shooting exasperated looks over his shoulder. She just smiled benignly at him.

"You could walk with us, you know."

"Perhaps I am enjoying following for a change, my lord," she gently teased.

"You're doing this just to bug me. Marco, tell her to get up here."

"Hmm?" The phoenix had seemed distracted since they had arrived, and now was no different. His sleepy gaze was focused somewhere in the mid distance, the tension she had seen in his stance still visible, but lessened.

Thatch shook his head in a way that suggested he knew what was wrong with his friend. "If you're going to be like this maybe I should take Otohime to the _other_ gardens?"

Marco hesitated, "No."

"Are you sure?"

Whatever it was that Marco was going to say Otohime never heard as they had finally reached the saint beast's private quarters. She _did_ see the look of relief mixed with apprehension on his face just before a door opened, surprising her.

Even more surprising was finding Izo on the other side of what smell told her was Marco's door, looking more disheveled than she had ever seen him. If Otohime didn't know any better she would think his hair, usually elaborately done, had knots in it. Even more shocking, perhaps, was the lack of makeup. This was the mythos who was almost more well known for his immaculate style than his social standing. Otohime could count on her fingers the number of times she had seen him so underdressed, and usually it only happened in the most dire times.

"Oh thank the gods you're here. Did Thatch tell you? They've been asking after you - it's cute. Of course _someone_ let it slip you might be back today. They're out in the garden now, watching the sky."

Thatch grinned wide, slapping Marco on the back hard enough to make the shorter male sway. "Aw, that's cute. Told you they'd miss you, Brother."

"Excuse me, but who?" she asked, unable to keep silent any longer. She had her suspicions, but it couldn't be. The phoenix lord was still unmated, wasn't he?

Izo's eyes widened slightly as he shifted, blocking the door with his body. She was sure it was a move most people would not have noticed, but as a mother of younglings she was quite familiar with that protective stance herself. "Otohime?" Silver eyes flickered to Marco.

"It's fine, yoi."

"Are you sure? Her clan is having-"

Izo stopped, looking down as two tiny bodies pressed up against his sides, staring out into the hall with wide eyes. Small fists bunched in the rich fabric of his robes as they spotted her, eyes going wide with apprehension. She hid her smile behind a delicate hand as the taller of the two looked up at Izo for obvious support. Even with his earlier misgivings the man smiled gently down at the little fry and ran a hand through its hair before nodding towards the hall. Both younglings looked again, faces suddenly lighting up with pure joy as one - the smaller of the two - left the perceived safety of Izo's side to throw himself at Marco. "_He's home! He's home! Atche, look! _Marco _is back!_"

The other made as if to join what could only be his spawn-mate before eyeing her again and instead holding tighter to Izo. Grey eyes looked at the phoenix with joy before looking down. "_I see that, Lu. Welcome home_." She might not have been able to understand them, but the happiness was evident in the wide smiles and tones.

She smiled even as Marco crouched slightly and ran a hand through the hair of the one holding him and looked at the other, surprised no one had mentioned that he had younglings. But soon she caught a whiff of their distinctive smell. _Humans? I - I don't understand… Marco dislikes humans._ But the truth was before her. The great Suzaku was half crouched, clawed hands gently running through the human fry's crest with a soft smile on his face. All of the tension built up over their trip back had melted from his body.

Izo was watching her more than he was watching the little ones, it seemed, and noticed her surprise. "The older one is Ace and the younger is Luffy. Marco… adopted them… at the naga's last auction."

Slaves, then. Very young ones, to be sure. Her lips drew tight in displeasure. For all the trouble humans had been giving her clan, she didn't approve of enslaving them. "Shouldn't they be with their school?"

"Can't find it," Thatch shrugged, handing the shyer fry a sticky treat which was promptly offered to Marco.

"..._Missed you,_" the youngling muttered, not looking up even as his cheeks colored. "_Glad you came back._"

"Luffy _hungry, _yoi?" The mighty phoenix spoke in a tongue unfamiliar to her with a gentle smile on his face as he broke the treat in two.

The little human frowned in concentration, "No. Luffy not h-hungry. Marco eat." He turned to the other human, beaming, "_Did I say that right, Atche?"_

_"Mm! I think so!"_ The other grinned back before looking at Marco expectantly. "Ace and Luffy was good."

Otohime was torn between the instinctual swell of pride at seeing a youngling learning their difficult language and shock at the fact that it was _human_ young. It was only the wonder on Marco's face that prevented her from questioning it. She watched as the mythos gently scooped up both fry - ignoring Izo's comment about the rough treatment his robes were receiving - and easily resting them on his hips as one giggled and the other looked awed. "Yes, Ace and Luffy _were_ good. Very good. I'm not hungry, yoi. Thank you."

"You like that? They've been practicing." Thatch grinned. "True, most of what they try to say still comes out a garbled mess, but they're smart cubs."

"Who seem to have a fascination with teaching Byakko words hatchlings should not know," Izo commented, a wry smile on his face. "Ace is worse about it. He's got a wicked sense of humour."

"Ah what's the harm in it? At least he's not flinching every time we look at him anymore. If a couple bad words and my pride are the price I have to pay to make them feel safe it's worth it." Thatch shrugged lazily as he pushed the door open further, allowing Marco easier entrance.

Izo had already retreated to the inner sitting room and was busy pouring tea into cups, two of which were made of a heavier clay. "It's an herbal blend. The dragon clan member who has been helping us in returning them to full health recommended it."

"Full health?" she asked, taking the offered cup as she gracefully sat. Looking closer at the little fry she saw what she'd missed at first, distracted by the elegant yet sturdy clothes they wore - much more suited to young lords than slaves, which told her where her friends held these little ones if Marco's behavior from before hadn't. The scarring at the neck was expected, even if it saddened her. But the slightly shiny skin on the one called Ace was not, nor were the slight gaunt looks both young had around their faces. The poor dears had obviously suffered some at the hands of mythos, making Izo's caution at seeing her more understandable. As she watched the two of them carefully handle the thick cups, begging for more silently with pleading eyes, she only hoped those that harmed such adorable fry would not be allowed near them again. No young, even human, deserved to be so harmed.

"I can see why you were anxious to return, Lord Marco. Your fry are quite endearing."

Marco colored slightly, "It's foolish, being so attached to pets, yoi."

_Pets?_ She blinked, wondering if he was joking with her until she saw Thatch and Izo share a look as Marco carefully handed each fry a piece of fruit. She quickly hid her mirth by taking a sip. It was humorous that the great lord was so blinded to how he felt. "This is quite good."

"It's a mixture of herbs and dried berries. I can send you some."

Marco shot Thatch a dark look, "What _kind_ of berries and herbs?"

"Not _those_. That young drake ordered some from Pompeii for the cubs. He knows his humans, I'll give him that."

"Speaking of Pompeii, was it really an island bound clan of humans hunting your people?" Izo asked in mild curiosity. "I thought islanders would know better."

"Apparently not," the phoenix muttered, his tone angry even as he was gentle with the two human young as he allowed the smaller to climb onto his lap. "The Atlanteans have become quite full of themselves, daring to go after mythos."

That was the first time Otohime ever recalled Marco making a distinction between any humans. "Thanks to the aid you managed to procure for my people the issue will be dealt with, however. I just hope the others don't kill to get my people back."

"I disagree, yoi. If killing a few dozen now stops them from ever activating the curse the loss is acceptable. Humans are a savage group."

Her temper frayed at hearing him say such disparaging comments while coddling a human fry in his lap. True, it was doubtful the little one understood what was being spoken and she didn't expect his views to change overnight... But some things were just not done, and insulting a clan before young of that clan was one of them. She didn't realize at first that the small scales on her hands and face had become more pronounced, or that the spines that usually laid flat in her crest had risen, causing both human fry to shrink back from her, eyes wide. "My lord, have some care of which you speak - you include your own little ones in such a comment."

There was a spark of surprise followed by shame in those blue eyes. Before Marco spoke Thatch let out a sigh, "Like it or not they're gonna have to get used to hearing things like that. Besides, something tells me our little Ace and Luffy have already seen the darker side of their own people. Huh, cubs?" Two sets of dark eyes flew up to stare at Thatch's chin before returning to watching Otohime's hand on her cup. Thatch's face shifted into one of worry. "Cubs? What's wrong, little guys? Otohime _nice, like _Law. _She is a friend._"

The littlest shook his head, not quite glowering at her hand. Otohime shared a confused look with Marco - it was obvious they had seen clawed hands before, but perhaps the sight of webbing and scales was giving them pause. She slowly opened her hand and both fry flinched slightly, a sure sign of abuse that made her chest ache and her spines once more raise up in echoed distress.

"Ace, Luffy. It's alright - she won't hurt you. You're safe, yoi." Marco's voice was almost as gentle as the hands he carded through their hair.

_"Mermaids are bad. They kill fishermen, right Atche?"_

The taller nodded, biting his lip before tugging on Thatch's sleeve and muttering, "Fish-_women_ bad. _Dangerous._ They eat..." He made a face, perhaps looking for a word. "_Boat_-men. _Drown them, _hurt men. Bad."

They all shared a look as Otohime blinked. She had a feeling whatever the little one was going on about would be insulting on some level, but they both seemed so agitated that she couldn't bring herself to care. "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that."

Thatch sighed, "Same. Izo?"

The turtle offered a light shrug, "Something about boats and food." His silver eyes sparked, "Maybe their people hunted merfolk?"

"Well since there is only one place that has done so, I am pleased these two will be free of our wrath in this. They are obviously much too young to understand." She offered the taller her hand and he shifted away as the youngest whimpered softly.

"Sorry, yoi." Marco let out a sigh, "She won't hurt you. I won't let her or anyone else hurt you." He glanced at Izo. "If you're right then why are they afraid of her?"

"Retribution?" Thatch suggested. "Ace scared?"

The taller fry let out an annoyed huff, realisation they didn't understand in his expression. He bit his lip before trying again, "Fish-not-men bad! Fish-not-men eat men in water. Not safe! Big not safe."

The queen felt her mouth drop as she pieced it together, "They think that I want to eat them?" She looked at Marco, who appeared slightly ashamed by their proclamation even though she saw anger in the way he held himself so still. "Who hurt them?" Someone must have to make them fear being _eaten_ at a time like this.

"A former servant. It has been taken care of."

Thatch chuckled, earning a dark look from all. "That's one way of putting it. But I think this has more to do with you, Hime, and not what happened to them. Fish-not-men - that would be merfolk mythos. Or mermaids - we haven't gone over the word for 'women' yet. Boat men... Fishermen, maybe. Or those humans that live on the water." He ruffled Ace's hair. "It's a human story - one they tell to show how scary we mythos are. I've heard it before, actually."

"And just how does this story go?" the queen asked, eyebrow raised.

"Well, at the core of it your people would follow ships and lure those on them to their deaths."

She gaped at the tiger, momentarily speechless. "We haven't done that in a long, long time! Even those of my people who eat human meat prefer to scavenge for it."

"But the point is, you did at one time. So the survivors told people, who told others, and now it's a legend of a sort." Thatch turned his attention back to the little ones, "One they heard."

"Sorry, yoi."

"No, no... To be honest it is slightly flattering to know that at least some out there find us fearsome."

"And you're the queen, so you'd be the most fearsome." Izo shook his head, "Marco, you better handle this one."

"How, yoi?" The bird let out a huff, "Luffy, Ace?" Both fry jumped, looking up at him even if they wouldn't meet his eyes. "You're safe. _Safe. _Otohime is... Strongest merfolk... I am stronger. Much stronger, yoi. I'll protect you." Luffy nodded, apparently content with that answer even as his spawn-mate frowned. The corner of Marco's lip twitched ever so slightly. "I will be careful. Thank you, yoi."

That seemed to satisfy Ace. He settled, actually daring to look at Otohime with what could have possibly been a smug look. She schooled her expression into one of contrition even as she wanted to laugh. Their worry was adorable. After a moment Luffy fidgeted. "Otohime... merfalk," he said almost to himself. "Merfalk not-man? Merfalk _lady_?"

"Merfolk," Izo corrected. "Merfolk woman."

"... Woman is not-man?" Ace asked, "Woman is-" He made what could only be a reference to breasts with his hands. "_Woman? Like the painted ladies?"_

"Yes, woman means _woman,_" Thatch replied. "I really don't want to know where they picked up gestures like that so young..."

"I could think of a few places," Izo commented, refilling everyone's drinks. "Back to the topic at hand. The cait sidhe sent word that they were on their way this morning. Your people should be home safe soon."

"Yes, I look forward to welcoming them back. Naturally I plan on thanking those who have aided us in such a dark time."

"Remuneration?" Thatch let out a low whistle as she nodded, "Your advisors aren't going to like that."

"My _advisors_ didn't lose family in this, not like my people have. I know my people will want to repay those who put themselves in harm's way to rescue those lost."

* * *

><p>Breaking away from the small group that had formed in the outer sitting area had been something of a saving grace for the phoenix lord. Their discussions were over for the day now that Otohime and her entourage's rooms were prepped and ready for use, leaving him some time to himself where he hoped to be left to seeing the boys off to bed. They had been nodding off for some forty-odd minutes now, and as he gathered the little one into his arms Thatch picked up the elder, nodding towards the hall entrance. "Lemme help you get them settled."<p>

Marco's lips pressed together in a thin line and he nodded, sliding open the door and saying his farewells to his guests as he stepped outside, sharp talons digging into the wood panelling of the hallway as he headed into the hatchlings' room. As much as he rather believe his brother was doing just that, helping him, he was far from naive. Knowing just what the tiger's assistance meant had him wondering just what he missed while he was away.

They lowered the boys into their makeshift nest, Luffy immediately curling around his brother like a security blanket. Half-mast eyes slid shut, blocking out the world, and he lingered but a moment before rising to meet his brother with a firm-set frown. "So, what is it, yoi? You have something to say?"

The way his brother looked at him told that he wasn't far off, and as silence passed between them Thatch heaved a sigh. "Yeah, uh…" He nodded to the garden. "Could I talk to ya a moment?"

Eyes lingering over his sibling, Marco nodded, following out to the back porch and away from prying ears. Why they needed the privacy he couldn't guess; Thatch usually had few problems with talking in front of the boys, and the rest of the wing was more or less vacated as their guests had moved on to another location to greet Whitebeard before turning in for the night. He wouldn't protest, but as they took their seats beside one another he gave the tiger a knowing look.

Thatch let out a shuddering breath, facing the wood. "I had a talk with Dragon before he left. When uh, when Izo left with you."

He raised an eyebrow in question. "And why are you bringing this up now?"

"I know you didn't notice," Thatch continued, ignoring the question altogether. "You were stressed, so I can't really blame ya. And then what happened with the cubs, well-"

"Thatch," Marco called, voice flat as he shifted to fully face his sibling. "Tell me, yoi. Out with it."

Shoulders slumped and weighted, he lifted his head to observe the garden. "He was in rage."

Heavily-lidded eyes opened fully, fixed to Thatch's form.

"He ask me to - but I _couldn't_, Marc. You know that." The phoenix knew. He could understand. The two had gotten along well, and Dragon was still young, barely over three-hundred which was far younger than most who fell into rage - not impossible, but certainly not expect. "Well I had a talk with that young drake he brought with him - Law? You didn't meet him, did you?"

Smoothing his robes over his legs Marco allowed himself to settle, accepting the information easily. It was far from the first time someone he was acquainted with went through this, and as upsetting as it was, he was used to it. "No, yoi. Izo briefed me. Did he treat them well?"

"The cubs? Yeah. But…" Thatch sighed. "Dragon's gone. Missing, I'd guess. I… don't think we'll see him again."

Narrow blue eyes settled on the moonlit tree across the garden, the one the hatchlings had taken food from, his hand tightly gripping the hem of his robe. An eventual nod followed, the bird stretching out his legs in a more relaxed pose. He worried what that meant for Dragon's parents and just how they were taking it.

It hadn't went entirely unnoticed by Suzaku. While he, himself, had been on edge and quick to anger, he hadn't missed how snappy his associate had been. Dragon was a calm man. He was relaxed and calculative, and he minded his temper far better than either of his parents. The cues were small, easily overlooked, but he recalled them all the same. He never thought it would amount to rage, though…

"It is for the best, yoi," he muttered, noticing Thatch's head snap towards him in his periphery, accusatory eyes locking him under their gaze. "He is taking measures to assure he does not hurt anyone. No matter how that sounds to you, it is admirable. I believe it is important to respect his decision."

After a quiet moment Thatch gave a jerky nod, dropping his face into his hands as he groaned. "I know. That doesn't make it any easier."

* * *

><p>Law's late return had, for the most part, seen him getting by with little reprimand from the lady of the house. His saving grace had been the patients that awaited him at the temple doors, and he could not very well be kept from them, could he? Humans were weak and frail and made up the majority of his visitors whenever he returned from day trips such as the one he took to Whitebeard's main compound.<p>

When he arrived he was met with a rush of security, the familiar air of the land bringing him a sense of peace. That was the land Dragon had brought him to, and the one he'd stayed during the latter years of his life. It was one of the few colonies he could call 'home' and over the years the towering blue columns of the temple had become a fondly thought-of symbol of the clan that he'd become entangled with. His mentor's parents had not been waiting for his return. Master Garp was away, dealing with other clans or off entertaining himself in foreign lands Law couldn't say, and the lady was far too sullen to focus on him. He should have expected as much; Dragon's disappearance had brought her great stress. That was her first and only child, of course.

The ill humans and mythos now sent home for the day, Law found himself back within the confines of his mentor's wing, far from the place of worship, isolated away from the nuisances of the servants, and he was left to breathe. It was odd how a place so foreign could feel so familiar, but back then it had, and he never forgot.

Taking a deep, inward breath had him frowning, Dragon's scent overpowering even as he sat in his own room. That man had always been so invasive. But the scent would slowly fade, he knew, until it was no more than an absent thought.

He wondered where he would be when that happened.

Grey eyes opened to the bright azures of the room and he let a soft snort escape him as picked himself up off the floor and started towards his closet. His fingers danced about the cloth of folded robes placed carefully on the shelf, thoughts absent while pulling them from their place and stacking them on the table set against the wall. That colour was placed generously across the clan, and the temple itself was laden with bright, vibrant blues and deep navies that honoured and celebrated the leader of their clan - but that leader had been absent three hundred years now, long since before Law was ever born and only a few scant years after his mentor had been hatched. It had been so long since they last had Seiryu that the humans dwelling within their borders had forgotten about the azure dragon deigned their deity. Their worship dwindled, and their loyalties lied more in the dragons there now than the one who lorded over them before.

That was fine. No, that was more than fine. He never understood why an absent saint beast was always held in such high regard when they had been getting along fine without one. The other cornerstone clans had theirs, yes, but even without the dragon clan hadn't fallen out of favour or lost their ranking. Nothing had changed. So when he saw how anxious it made the council, and even Dragon himself, he could not understand just what the fuss was over. If Seiryu wouldn't return they should move on, yes?

Shaking his head of the thought, Law slid over his cloth bag and began placing his robes carefully inside, lips pressed taut. He knew that in the event his mentor never returned he would take his leave of that temple. His century of dwelling there had been overstayed, he knew, his presence tolerated only out of trust for the lord that kept him. But that lord was no longer there, and his return would never come.

Not as he was, anyway.

As he got up to resume his emptying of the closet Law stilled, sight lingering over a small, tattered cloth shoved at the back of the shelf. He pulled it free of its place, sharp claws gently sliding over the silk as his eyes roved over the small, child-sized clothing, gaze turning soft. Embroidered with the delicately-sewn regalia of the western clan it seemed the fabric stood the test of time, the hundred-plus years since its last use visible only in the torn seam of the sleeve and faded colour of the pants. He'd done well to keep it all of those years, though for the life of him he could not understand _why_.

"_Don't give me that look. It's comfortable, I swear! Put it on for me. Mother will be none too pleased if she sees you in those rags."_

_Law frowned, eyeing the hand-crafted clothes with apprehension and a slight bit of awe. He'd never worn something that felt quite so… important before. And soon his mistrusting gaze was on the western dragon, leading the man to sigh._

"_You won't get in trouble for wearing it. Promise. It's different from what the humans had you wearing, I know. But you'll be staying here now. Understand me?"_

Swallowing, he folded the garb carefully and placed it in the bag atop the rest, all-the-while chastising himself for holding onto an article of clothing that no longer fit him. He allowed himself that, though, knowing that there was very little he would need to bring when he left, so it wasn't as though it was taking up needed space. Most of his belongings he'd packed the night before, left to rest against a corner of his room. With his clothes now joining them all that was left was to await the discovery of his lord's remains as a sign to take his leave.

Letting out a breath, Law ran a hand through his hair and tossed the bag aside, spinning around to head out into the hall. He needed some time away from that room, he thought. Dragon always told him that isolation would only worsen his social skills, and the last thing he wanted was for his mentor's teachings to go to waste. As much as he didn't wish to speak with anyone at current he knew that at the very least a walk might do him some good. But as he reached for the door he paused, looking down at himself.

Ah, yes, he supposed he should clothe himself to avoid another scolding from the servants - or heaven forbid the lady of the house. His own were currently packed away, however…

Law turned his head towards the other door, a deep frown set on his face as he waltzed over to it and slid it open, his claws gouging the wood ever so slightly - not that there weren't marks from before on there already, though. It wasn't the first time he entered Dragon's room when the drake was away. He'd done so since he was much, much younger. But now it felt off, almost intrusive, and he had to shake his head to shake the feeling of foreboding out of his thoughts.

But as he looked up his eyes widened slightly and he stumbled back, a hand raising to cover his mouth as he stared. The once orderly, perfect state of his lord's room was gone from sight and in place stood furniture gouged by sharp claws. His bed was a mess of torn sheets and stabbed pillows, the feathers from inside scattered across the floor.

Slowly Law settled, shuffling anxiously inside. The sight left a bad taste in his mouth, signs of his mentor's rage never before as prominent as this. He ran the pads of his fingers over the scratches in the table, marks deep and large and _far_ too prominent to have been made in anything but a dragon's form, one far larger than Law himself. He hadn't been in there since Dragon left and the longer he stayed, the more his sense of dread grew.

Dragon always hid it, always seemed perfectly calm and in control even long after his rage began setting in. That was why most hadn't noticed, and how the staff at the temple had gone unknowing for so long. But in there Dragon's state was even evident in the potent stench of the room, more of sulfur than burning coals, and Law bit his lip.

He had never realised…

A shuddering breath passed through him and he continued through the room, crouching down low on the matted floor and carefully picking up broken cups and tattered cloths, force of will steadying the shaking of his hands. He went throughout the room, tossing out all of the destroyed belongings of his former lord and fixing the bed, something he'd done many times when Dragon was exhausted from his travels acting on Garp's behalf. But he stilled upon his sweep of the far corner, a small stand left untouched. Head cocked to the side he looked closer. The robes his lord had worn to the saint beasts' compound were laid out neatly atop it. He eyed them, recognising the lady of the temple's stitching in the fine silks, decorated embroidery a sight to behold, if not for the skill of the stitch then for the awkward colour she had chosen. Law remembered hearing complaints from Dragon about how badly it matched with the rest of the outfit, though he, himself, knew nothing of fashion.

Atop the robes rested a meticulously-crafted knife, a small blade with a thick, metal sheathing that looked vaguely familiar. He recognised the carvings, the same seen throughout the temple as signs of the current head of state, a proudly emblazoned family crest on the handle. Garp gave him that, Law recalled, and with narrowed eyes he placed it exactly as he found it.

He stood once more, eyeing the shelf above it. Many of Dragon's books had been more or less vandalised by the lord himself, and there were only a few left in their places instead of scattered across the floor. Law frowned. It was always his mentor telling him the importance of knowledge and reading and yet there he was defiling it - not that Law blamed him, really.

One of the books stood out to him and he pulled it from its place, blinking quizzically as he scrolled through tattered pages.

"Ah…"

He remembered that book clearly, even as the years attempted to erode it from his mind. It was long ago that he'd learned how to read under Dragon's careful guidance. He could recall the struggles he faced as he stumbled over the unfamiliar words, the voice of his guardian there to guide him across every mistake he made, every stutter that had him glaring down at the stark black text, and he found himself lingering before putting it back, careful not to damage the delicate pages.

The room was now as orderly as he could get it and he resigned to leave it at that, though the clawed furniture almost had him requesting a servant replace it all. But he forced that thought back, removing an outfit from Dragon's closet and slipping it on, thankful that the man had been partial to loose, comfortable clothing the same way he was, and with one last, forlorn look, he pulled himself out into the hall.

Dragon's wing was always vacant. He suppose the lord offered that as a courtesy to him and his condition, as the halls were kept quiet and he was safely tucked away behind closed doors, out of the sight of prying eyes and out of range for unwanted ears. Because of that it was somewhat of a sanctuary for him - an escape from the crowds of the public areas and the family that resided there.

He blinked. Ah, those hatchlings had a similar setup under Suzaku's care, did they not?

A pleased hum floated across the air as he slid the hall door open, stepping out into the main section of the temple and walking across the porch that led to the front gardens. Servants were tending to the flowers, he saw - and one was trying to teach a newcomer why to _not_ hand-feed the sentient fern that had made itself at home against the fence. If Law recalled, it had a habit of poisoning whoever was foolish enough to snake close to it without protection. The woman doing the teaching turned to the sound of Law's steps, smiling at him, and he gave an awkward wave in return.

As he passed to the front of the temple he witnessed the humans making their way onto the grounds for evening worship, most of those the elderly whose traditions were deeply rooted in their childhood. He recognised several of them - he was a doctor, and many were his patients - but he was fortunate in that none tried to stop him to converse. The most he got was the off greeting and thanks and they would be on their way. That was good; he had too much on his mind to entertain the humans.

The soft patter of Law's feet against the wooden flooring slowed and stilled, and he found himself standing before the large, heavily-detailed stone monument of Seiryu at the entrance of the building. He had seen it a million times before but the craftsmanship always brought him to pause. But it was the subject that had him firmly planted there, face drawn and fist clenched.

This was _her_ temple, not theirs.

A sudden slap to his back had him stumbling forward, almost colliding with the priceless work of art he'd just been admiring, and the moment he regained his footing he spun around to glare at his attacker with a warning growl. But the gesture was ignored by the grinning old man before him, and he blinked upon spotting that familiar scar to the left of the man's eye.

Immediately he righted himself, clearing his throat. "I see that you have returned, Master Garp. Welcome."

Boisterous laughter accompanied the second - less gentle - slap he received and he grunted as the impact almost sent him barreling forwards, and internally he cursed the man for never reigning in his strength. At the back of his mind he recalled Byakko doing that very same thing the other day. They were similar in some ways, it seemed…

"That look doesn't suit you," the drake grinned, his arm coming to wrap around Law's shoulders, ushering him inside without so much as a word of warning. Naturally Law had little choice but to go along with it, as he _always_ did, heaving a resigned sigh. "You visited the phoenix boy, right?"

He blinked, shaking his head as he met the stares of the servants and visitors evenly. Most already knew very intimately just what Garp was like so seeing him half-drag a young dragon down the hall was far from a novel experience. "Master Suzaku was absent. I met instead with Master Byakko and the hatchlings they keep at current."

"Hatchlings? So it's true, then!" he laughed. "I heard word that the bird was keeping pets - who'd have thought?"

Law pressed his lips together, ignoring it as they rounded the corner and narrowly avoided trampling over one of the servants that happened to be in Garp's path. "What… do you mean?"

The old man snorted, slipping inside one of the sitting rooms in the southern hall and shoving Law down on one of the seats. "That boy's hatred of humans is well-known, even by the humans themselves. Even goaded on by the thunderbird it's a wonder he bought those boys."

Ah, right… He recalled Ace and Luffy were bought at an auction, the very same one Garp visited in Dragon's stead some time ago. Were he honest, he knew next to nothing about the other three saint beasts. They weren't relevant to his culture and the day of Dragon's meeting was the first he'd seen of them.

Garp lowered himself onto the seat across from him, sliding over a bottle. Even perfectly sealed Law could make out the reek of alcohol, his nose curling in distaste, but when his eyes flitted up to meet his elder's he found the silent goading to be too much and, with his umpteenth sigh that day, he uncorked it.

His lord had fallen quiet, and that left Law to wonder just why he was there, and what Garp wished to talk to him about. The more he thought the more he felt his chest constrict, knowledge that the old man may be telling him to move on far sooner than expected weighing down on him. With Dragon gone he no longer held any ties to that family, but he was sure they would wait until there was confirmation of their son's condition before addressing it.

He'd hoped he had more time.

As he went to hand the bottle off he noticed Garp chugging back liquor from a large tankard and stared awkwardly down at his drink, sniffing it before taking a sip - and immediately cringing at the bitter taste. He was never one for alcohol, especially such a strong kind. Garp was, he knew, as was Dragon.

It was off, though. Despite his laughter, Garp was… uncharacteristically quiet.

He caught the elder drake staring down at his hands as they came to rest on the table, a smile on his lips far less energetic than the norm. "My boy's taken good care of you."

Law stiffened, a jerky nod soon to follow as he averted his gaze into his lap. "He has."

A heavy sigh weighted the air, and Garp leaned back against the wall. "Rage isn't something we can avoid."

"I am aware."

"Of the four cornerstone mythos, we're the closest to humans. Do you know why that is, boy?"

He frowned, perplexed as he chanced a glance the old man's way, watching as Garp scratched absently at the wood of the table. "I don't, no."

Garp laughed, the sound more forced than not. "We burn out the fastest and have a more intimate understanding of death than any of them ever will."

Law blinked, brows furrowed as he found himself tightly gripping to the borrowed robes he wore. "...Why is that?"

The pause that followed only weighted the words, "We know what it is to die."

* * *

><p>Thatch settled in his seat after calling the meeting to order, fighting to keep the smirk off his face. It was hard, given the incredulous looks those who had accompanied Otohime were giving him. They had apparently been under the impression that Marco was going to be sitting in on this meeting. Since he was the one who was nominally in charge of all clans in that area it wasn't that much of a stretch. But of course since he was at <em>home<em> with his hatchlings, Otohime, of all people, had basically ordered him to stay in his room, instead nominating Thatch for the job as mediator. Izo had been shooed off to his own wing, as well, with firm instructions to nap. She was a spitfire at times, willing and able to boss around the three of them who were not only saint beasts but her elders by several centuries. The tiger supposed that was one of the things he liked about the young queen.

She had never been tainted by the darker side of mythos nature, having blessedly been born after those horrible times. As such, Otohime refused to allow her people to fall into those old habits - the very habits that had made the merfolk feared by humans and lesser clans alike - instead forging ties with as many peoples as she could. Damn if he wasn't proud of her for it, too. It was nice for a clan head to take charge for a change instead of waiting for Thatch or one of his brothers to do all the hard work. Of course it meant that the clan elders had more to bitch about, but he was sure she had everything well in hand.

If the woman could handle _Izo_ in a mood, these stuffed flounder were nothing. Given that, he was almost gleeful to see how this meeting was going to turn out. Judging by the looks he was being given he needed to work on his poker face, too.

"It's all well and good that these..." There was a less than subtle cough, "Other clans are so willing to help us, but we can't allow them to take advantage of us in our time of need. I say we close the borders," said one particularly thin-looking mermaid. Her colors were riotous, like that a clown fish. If that were the case her nervous stance was based more out of instinct.

A merman well-dressed in what Thatch knew to be dragon silk huffed even as his companion, an equally well-dressed fishwoman with shining scales, scolded the other council members. "Close the borders? Are you out of your mind?! How will we trade then? And with whom? It is true that we don't wish to be seen as weak but such an act shall doom us more thoroughly than any battle."

"The idea that these clans will know of our weakness is upsetting. Up until now we have been able to deal with our issues on our own. It is humiliating to have to _ask_ for aid. I agree that this is most unfavorable. We need to do something to continue to appear strong," spoke one male who bore a strong resemblance to a seahorse.

The frown that had been barely a wrinkle between Otohime's eyes spread until she was giving the council members a withering look. "We shall do no such thing. They have _helped_ us! At cost to themselves, no less."

"That was their choice," one spoke, gaze flat.

"One that we shall repay with kindness and thanks instead of snubbing them!" She slashed her hand through the air. "The bendith y mamau do so enjoy gems. We shall repay their kindness with a wide collection of sea-washed precious stones and jewels. Our clan has no mages to enchant such treasure and little need for such baubles beyond trade."

"But your majesty," one fishman gaped, "we _do trade_ those! Why, just three spell-ready stones is enough to acquire enough seedlings to forest an island!"

"And are our own people not worth more than that?"

As the aging stonefish opened his mouth Thatch shook his head, warning clear in his eyes. "Clansmen are always of the utmost importance. I can't imagine that there are those who would disagree with that sentiment, Otohime." That shut the man up alright. The tiger was sure he was being cursed silently, though. Too bad, Otohime was right.

"Does anyone else have any objections?" For a small queen she sure knew how to use her position as those nearest her quickly shook their heads. "Alright, then. For the cait sidhe, perhaps large pearls?" She looked over at Thatch, "I must confess, this is the first dealing we've had with them, and I am unfamiliar with what would be acceptable. We could offer fish and other deep water delights if you would think that would be better, Lord Byakko."

"I'm not surprised you haven't had much dealing with them. The cait tend to keep to themselves for the most part," he muse. "Most are not overly fond of saltwater fish, so I believe pearls would be a wiser bet. They _are_ fond of trinkets, and large pearls that they could carve would be welcomed. Who knows, you might even start a trade route with them. Their wards are some of the best around."

"While trade in the future would be welcome, the primary reason behind _this_ gesture of goodwill is to thank them for their hard work in returning our people," the queen spoke, proving she, too, had seen the greedy glint in more than one council member's eyes. Naturally a separate remuneration shall go to the family of any brave soul that was grievously injured or killed, be they cait, bendith y mamau or merfolk. We shall not forget the fallen and dishonor their memories."

"But why should we pay out to other clans?"

"But why should they help us?" Otohime replied in the same tone. "Contempt breeds contempt. True, the humans may yet still be too uncultured for us to reach out in friendship, but other mythos are well deserving of our respect and honor. It is my hope that one day - however far off that day may be - all the clans will be allied once more. _Without _a threat looming over us. And perhaps on that day humans will have earned the right to stand with us. But until that day comes, I shall do my utmost to herald it in. My children will not grow up in a nation too self-righteous to seek aid when needed or offer it when they can. We must continue to move forward."

"Well spoken!" Thatch clapped, "As my title of Byakko demands it of me, I couldn't agree more. The clans are _all_ under the saint beasts' protection, but that only does so much unless you are willing to help each other. Divided, even the strongest of clans are easy targets. Our history _proves_ that. This willingness to adapt is what will continue to give mythos an edge in this changing world."

"Do you truly believe that, my lord?"

"Yes. If your clan had been more proactive in communication with your allies, it might never have come to this. Strengthen those ties and forge new ones so this tragedy doesn't happen again," he said, rising to his considerable height to look down at them all. "Follow your queen. She will lead you well." With that the tiger turned and left the room, more than sure Otohime would get her way and then some. There was something to be said of a saint beast backing you, after all.

* * *

><p>The most pleasing sound to Izo was that of whining human hatchlings, protesting foreign words muttered as two small bodies clung to the draping red robes of their beloved father-figure. Luffy, the sweet fool, had even taken to throwing all of his weight at Marco, so much so that the fabric of his overskirt almost dropped and the bird was left chastising them as he hurriedly adjusted his sash. It was an amusing sight to watch, if not for the exasperation on Marco's face then for the fondness on the boys' as the one they had been pestering finally conceded and crouched down. Clawed hands ran through their hair, accompanied by a sigh.<p>

"I have to see our guests off, yoi. I cannot stay with you." Blue orbs glanced up. "Izo, help?"

"Guests?" Luffy repeated with confusion. "_What does that word mean, Atche?"_

"_It, uh…"_ The elder brother rubbed the back of his neck, the way he fidgeted making his uncertainty all too obvious. "_It's like… when you ask a question, you know? No, no! It's um, it's when you're trying to think of the answer to the question. Yeah."_

"_Ooooh."_ He grinned up at Marco. "Marco see guest good or wrong?"

The phoenix blinked, gaping in confusion as he immediately turned back to the turtle in a silent second plead for help. Izo chuckled, resting his chin on his hand as he leaned on the table, a smile playing on his lips. Those boys were cute, he'd give them that. They were also learning fast, even if they got the words wrong from time to time. "Alright, I'll help you. But Marco I swear, if you don't get back to your studies once Otohime has returned home…"

"I will, yoi. Promise."

Satisfied, he gestured the boys over. They came easily and he swelled with pride knowing just how trusting of him they'd become. It was a vast improvement from when they'd arrived, and it wasn't just him; seeing their interactions with that young dragon the other day had given him a lot of hope. "_You're thinking of '_guess', Ace_, not '_guest'. Guest _means visitor."_

"_Oh…"_ The boy reddened.

Smile widening, Izo poked his nose. "_It was a good guess."_ A _very_ good guess; the words were hard to make out for foreigners, he knew, so Ace couldn't be blamed for not being able to hear the distinction. "_Marco has to go see the visitors from earlier off."_

"_The mermaid-people?"_ Ace questioned.

"_They're gonna go home now?"_

"_They are,"_ he nodded. "_See him off before he goes, yes? I'll stay with you the rest of the night."_

The brothers looked between one another, a mix of emotions on their faces before Luffy spun back towards the door and made a mad-dash for the phoenix, hugging Marco's robes. "Byebye, Mister Marco!"

Izo watched on as his brother stiffened awkwardly, remaining there as Ace reluctantly shuffled over and muttered the same. Both received pats on the head and an easy smile - it seemed they weren't the only ones beginning to loosen up. "Goodnight Ace, Luffy. Be good."

With that the bird was gone, leaving the turtle to tend to his young. The hatchlings hovered in the doorway, peeking out into the hall to watch as Marco walked away until he was finally out of sight and they slid the door closed, matching pouts on their faces. It was past their usual bedtime but since Marco's return they hadn't wanted to sleep. Still, they needed it.

"Boys," Izo called, soon caught beneath two curious stares, "bedtime. Go get ready."

Matching whines were soon to follow but the boys were compliant, slipping into their room to go get changed. Satisfied, he grabbed the fabric lying limp in his lap and the needle on the table, returning to his absent task of sewing the boys more clothing. He'd done a few outfits already that their hatchlings seemed fond of but 'few' was never enough, especially with young ones such as them. Once their backs stopped aching he was certain they would be running around and exploring - at least in the safety of the isolated wing of the compound - and before long one of them was bound to tear a sleeve or scratch up the embroidery, even stain the fabrics with mud. So Izo, being the kind, selfless man that he was, would sacrifice his time to make extras so that in the event that they ruined the clothes they had they wouldn't be left without.

Not that they couldn't just _buy_ clothes, no, but this gave him an excuse to indulge in his hobby.

Before long he fell into a reflex-induced pattern, his mind empty as he sewed the fabric together, broken only by the muted sound of the door sliding open to his right. He never needed to look up to know who it was, the weight of Thatch's footsteps all too familiar, and so he simply ignored the entrance. Soon the tiger dropped beside him with a grunt and he could feel dark eyes watching the meticulous movement of his hands. It didn't bother him, though; he'd grown very used to this over the years. In fact it was… rather comfortable.

That couldn't be said for the pouting feline, however. "You still gonna ignore me, Genbu? I'm hurt." He rolled his eyes at that. "You put the cubs to bed already?"

"Not yet," came the answer as his work paused, eyes narrowing on a missed stitch. It must have happened when the stupid cat came in - nothing he couldn't fix. "They're getting ready in the other room. Did you come to say 'goodnight'?"

"You could say that." Brows furrowed at those words and Izo looked up curiously, met with a sheepish grin. "I've been uh, feelin' a bit off lately. Could use the company."

Izo had noticed. Despite how oblivious Thatch could be, _he_ was observant. It'd started after Dragon's visit and wasn't hard to guess just what was going through that simple man's head. He'd always been so easy to read. Still the turtle held his head high. "You assume I _want_ your company."

"Ouch. Harsh." Thatch snickered before his attention was momentarily pulled to the half-open doorway, two sets of eyes peeking out at them. "Hey there, cubs. _Goodnight?_"

Luffy grinned, running up to give the tiger a squeeze. "Night, Thatchy!"

His brother followed suit with a soft, shy, "Goodnight."

"Rest well, cubs."

Izo saw them off with a kiss to each forehead and the boys stumbled back into their room, leaving the two mythos to sit alone in silence.

"...You still mad?" Well, _short-lived_ silence. When Izo's answer wasn't immediate Thatch continued, and by the haste of his words it was easy to see that this had been weighing on his mind for some time. "I'm sorry, Iz! I really am! I honestly don't know what I did - I'm trying _everything_ here, brother…"

He caught Thatch under a silver stare, fixing him in place with his eyes before sighing and looking away. It wasn't that he didn't know the tiger was trying, it was more… Ever since the hatchlings' arrival there had been more important matters to address. His personal upset was the lesser of two evils and he much rather dwell over it on his own than voice it when there were two boys there that ate up their attention. "I'm not _mad_, you stupid cat."

He didn't need to look to notice Thatch's sputtering confusion or the way he gaped at his brother's response. "Then what the hell has all this been?!"

"Keep your voice down," Izo chastised, chuckling when he looked over to see his brother slap a hand over his mouth. "I'm not _mad_, not anymore, I'm just… disappointed, you could say."

"Tell me?"

Izo pressed his lips together, giving a thoughtful moment towards just how to start. "About a month before the auction you were staying at the other compound. Do you remember that?"

"I do," Thatch blinked. "But what does that have to…"

He shot the tiger a dull glare, watching as he shrunk under it. "Before you left the main compound you promised to come back. Two weeks before Marco bought his hatchlings you were supposed to return."

"...I was?" came the inevitable question, but soon his eyes began widening and he was nodding his head, claws tap-tap-tapping away anxiously at the table. "...Damn it all. Yeah, yeah I remember, I… I really messed up, didn't I?"

"You did."

"You could have hesitated…" He pouted. "But all this had been for _that_? That's not like you."

Looking over the finished product of his work, the turtle nodded in approval and folded the pants neatly, leaving them atop the table as he shuffled across the room to a box of loose fabrics, internally scrutinizing them. He needed a larger variety; the colours left did _not_ suit the boys at all. It was disappointing, too, because for all that they weren't flattering they _were_ premium quality silks and cottons. "Two months."

Thatch blinked. "...Yes?"

He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest as he spun to face Thatch, his pink robes twisting around him with the movement. "In two months my death will come and I'll have to return to my homelands. Is it so wrong of me to want to spend time with my brother beforehand?"

Thatch's eyes widened. "That's - already?!"

"I _said_ keep your voice down. Those boys need their rest."

"But Iz-"

"No buts," he interrupted, a pale hand held up in pause. He dropped down before the tiger in a sea of flowing fabrics, a drawn-out sigh passing his lips as he reached out to flick Thatch's forehead. "I'm going to miss my family while I'm away. You, of all people, should know what that's like. _How_ many times is this for you?"

Thatch turned away, rubbing the back of his neck. "...Sorry. Really. I'll make this up to you, I _promise_."

And in that moment he smiled, his arms coming to wrap around his brother's neck in a tight, warm embrace.

"I know."

* * *

><p><strong>Bonus<strong>

_Rocking, swaying in time with the movement of the boat. Lufhi tugged on Grandmother's tunic, eyes wide at the sight of all those ships. So many - hundreds, many more than there were people in town - crowding the water. They were so still, so dark and large._

_The boat he was on lurched, and Luhfi lost his grip on Grandmother. He turned to find her as thick choking smoke swirled around, full of laughter. The voices were cruel and he whimpered, lost in the smoke and press of boats that walked on legs and shoved him as the floor rolled. "Atche?" He called, looking for his brother._

_There was a scream full of pain and fear - Atche! There! Lufhi spotted his brother and ran, but the crowd just laughed and grew and grew and he couldn't find Atche! His brother was hurt and Lufhi was alone. A sob escaped him as he spun in a tight circle, trying to escape the grasping boats with evil laughs and red eyes for port holes as the smoke choked him._

Luhfi woke with a start, silent in his fear as he grasped for Atche. That had been so scary! But is was a false dream - Atche was fine. He was - not next to him. Dark brown eyes opened as his heart pounded in his little chest. The room was empty - still. Sunlight was streaming in but no one was around. A glance out the window showed the garden was empty as well. He swallowed his panic, listening for his brother and heard nothing. _No - no! Atche wouldn't leave me_.._. He promised_! A sob escaped, followed by another when the window rattled, startling him.

"Atche!" He wailed, alone and afraid, mind still half lost in a press of boats that laughed at him. "I-I-"

The door to the sitting room opened soundlessly and Luhfi flinched away before spotting his brother standing there, eyes wide with worry. "Lu?"

"Atche! I was so scared! The boats took Grandma and there was smoke everywhere and I couldn't find you even though you needed me and I woke up and you were GONE!" He wailed as he threw himself into his brother's arms.

"Shhh. It's alright, Luhfi. I'm here. It was just a bad dream. See? No boats or smoke." Atche paused in his soothing backrub, "And... Grandmother wouldn't want you to be sad. You're a big boy now-"

"But I m-miss her!"

Atche sighed, "Me, too. But - she would want us to be happy, right? With Mister Marco, Mister Thatch and Mister Izo?"

"But what if they go away, too?" Luhfi sniffed, burying his face in his brother's chest. The thought of them leaving scared him more than he wanted to say. He liked them. Almost more than the painted ladies. "Everyone leaves..."

"But they're not gone now." The way Atche said it Luhfi could tell he didn't want them to leave, either. Even if they still didn't quite trust them. Mythos were supposed to be monsters, after all.

"There, there, little one." Sniffling, Luhfi looked over to see Izo crouched next to him, face drawn in concern, holding a cup out to him. _"Bad dreams are scary, little Luffy. When you get scared you can always come to one of us."_ Izo held the cup out, gesturing for him to drink. "You're alright. Safe here."

Luhfi sniffled as he sipped the drink. It was tangier than he was expecting and he blinked up at Izo in surprise. "Taste funny."

"It's safe. _Just a touch of mead to calm your nerves, little one. You poor thing, that sounded like a bad nightmare. I just wish we could make it so you'd never have them._" The man sat on the floor, uncaring of his beautiful skirts as he carefully pulled both brothers into his lap. Luhfi tensed at first as a hand rubbed soothing circles on his back, ducking his head back into his brother's chest. The child felt a twinge of guilt - Atche was shivering. He hadn't meant to scare his brother, too. Before any more tears could fall Izo began to hum, distracting both boys. The tune didn't sound _quite_ right, but it reminded him of what Mama used to hum to them to scare away the bad dreams. He yawned, sleepy again. "Sleep. _I'll be here when you wake, little hatchlings._"

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, admittedly this chapter has quite a bit going for it in terms of new information, but I'm not sure how hard you'll have to look for it. We shall see! As I mentioned last chapter we <strong>_**are**_ **planning something new together, so we'll see if we can get to plotting that out in the near future… but more on that when it's actually ready to be shown. As always thank you so much for reading and we hope to see you again next time!**

**ALSO. Because the author note is getting so long starting next chapter we may reply to reviews privately. You'll still get a response, it just won't be posted in the chapter to save on space!**

**To our lovelies~**

**Friendly reader: ****(B) everyone thinks that Akainu is an evil bastard in our story! He's really not. Doesn't mean I like him. Updates come when we can fit them into our schedules. (A) Those are quite some theories you have! Buuut I think you may be jumping the gun a bit on some of them XD**

**That Random Guy: (B) You got this and just under the wire! You have some good guess is going, but I can't say if you're on the right track. I'm glad you liked Diving into the Sea, I wasn't sure how people are going like that one. (A) You have some interesting guesses, but sadly you'll just have to wait to find out if you're right or not~**

**YaoiChick1: (B) Marco was really just going home. He needed to go home, his instincts were demanding it, so he moved the meeting. Because he felt guilty about that and he trusts Otohime he introduced her to his little hatchlings. Whitebeard is going to try and spoil them SO BAD. (A) I think you guys'll be able to take away a lot from Law's scenes. He's very observant and he thinks a lot so you'll probably be able to catch some hints if you're looking.**

**Echo: (B)Thanks for waiting.~ Luffy… is hard. It's not that we DO NOT want to write him. There's a good reason we haven't. Because of his age he tends to see things differently and he's very blunt. Which is great, but when we're trying to reveal things at a certain pace a Luffy POV would ruin it. (A) Trust me when I say that we've been wanting a Luffy POV too, but his age makes things difficult. I think you guys will understand when we get there. But like with this update's bonus, there will be Luffy scenes. It's all about patience~**

**Sea Rover Tactician: (B) HA! My plot has worked. (A) Hehe so glad you liked~**

**TinyTeacups: (B) Thank you very much for the review! I hope you liked this chapter, too! (A) Glad you like~**

**emygrl99: (B) I hope we gave you enough time to re-read this. Yeah, they don't wanna tell the kids that Marco 'thinks' they're pets. Because they are trying to make them feel safe and for all they know in the culture they grew up in humans ate their pets. so. Let's not mention it. Especially since Marco is only fooling himself. (A) You're right, we love when our readers ramble XD It's so much fun to see what people are thinking about the story because it shows us if we're doing something wrong or not. **

**humankind: (B) Thank you! I love our talented fanartists. They make my day. (A) So glad you like! The 'yoi' scene was fun to write, and pfffft let's just say Law will be getting lectured for that in the future, too. **

**LeafyxThiefy: (B)Another convert! YES! It was Anj's idea to make him socially awkward. I love how she writes him. Teach is a half-troll, and the merfolk are being kidnapped by humans. So, no he had nothing to do with it. (A) Ahhh so happy you joined us! Law's fun. I enjoy Law. It's fun to take the time to write his scenes where others I have to keep shorter and faster, but he thinks a lot, so. You'll be seeing more of him. He has his place in the story. NEVER complain about long reviews, we love them XD**

**Hooded-Figurine: (B) I'm so so happy you loved it! As for Sanji, we do have him plotted out and I think you'll be surprised. But in the good way? I can't tell you how excited I am for when people finally have all the pieces to put together about the kids' past. Everything will make sense, and there will be epic crying. On my part. (A) You flatter us! I'm happy people are liking our pacing, we're enjoying taking our time with everything. There are bound to be mess-ups. Sorry! We try to catch what we can, but things always slip through. I will say now, Sanji isn't a dragon. But what we've made him is definitely suiting in its own right. And Seiryu's role is most certainly very fitting, but that's all I can say XD**

**Guest: (B)Thank you very much! (A) Glad you like~**

**RinSlayer: (B) I posted it all in a document without the review replies and A.N's and there are over 160 pages! Not including this chapter. The reason I did that was to try and get NON fanfiction readers to read it. Shanks' human friends were all adults. He didn't know any kids, sorry. (A) Ahhh you're so sweet, thank you! . Yeah, we uh… we write some pretty long chapters XD But if they were shorter I don't think we'd have the space to get across what we want to, you know? So yay long chapters!**

**BLanK: (B) Please keep in mind that you have two people who live in different countries working on this story. So while we DO try and catch all the grammar and spelling issues we have 2 things working against us. One, we update within 24 hours of finishing a chapter so we know how everything should look, and 2, cultural differences. We've gotten better about that one but it still hits us sometimes. (A) Thank you very much, we're so glad you're liking it so far! Remember that it's very easy to miss things in your own writing, and only one of us edits before posting. The longer spent between writing and editing, the easier it is to spot mistakes. We tend to post within a day or two of writing and in between that we have to write our notes together, find a chapter quote, reply to reviews, sometimes write a bonus etc. If we had 3-4 weeks to go over it a few times editing then we would be able to catch most of it. But I think tolerating the typos is better than waiting even longer for a chapter.**

**Sunrise flame: (B) Depending on the situation, eyes can dilate when you're scared. It's to take in ALL the detail. I'd have to go back and re-read the line though… (A) Marco's past is something that won't be shown for a long, long while. We're doing everything in arcs so that it stays orderly. But I can assure you that it'll definitely be worth the wait. I'm excited to write it.**

**FireOfTruth: (B) Updates are sometimes slow because of life. (A) Patience is important. Keep in mind that we have real life duties, our own stories to work on, and that we put a lot of work into these chapters and hours of plotting together. So just wait and we'll have updates eventually!**

**That Random Guy: (B) Aw you make me blush. We spend a lot of time hashing things out even when we're not actively working on a chapter. (A) You're so sweet, thank you! Even if it takes a while we'll keep things up. I plan on seeing this story to the end no matter what it takes.**

**bibliophile030: (B) That island was destroyed years ago. (A) The island was attacked a long, long time ago and you could say Shanks has just grown… a bit bitter over the years.**

**key46812: (B) He's not a bad guy in this! He's an important clan leader, even if you don't agree with him. He protects his clan, and he's fair. (A) Akainu's a jackass, but he's a well-meaning jackass. He does what he can to aid his people. But that doesn't mean that even I have to like him XD**

**Key: (B) Thank you! (A) We will~**

**miltoran: (B) Mythology is a passion of mine. And I think I've gotten Anj hooked~ (A) Psh, I've always liked mythology. Don't think you got me started on it, Beddy! There will be a loooot of characters in this. I'm sure you'll be seeing plenty of people you're wanting to.**

**LittleChomper: (B) Any kind of relationships that are in this story will only ever be secondary to the main plot, hetrosexual, bisexual or homsexual. (A) There are going to be couples in this, and there will be families of different social standings and sexualities. Ace and Luffy won't have any relationships, though. So while there won't be any mature content in that regard, you may see homosexual couples. **

**XxFire-PhoenixxX: (B)We include notes at the bottom of the chapters where they are all introduced. For now that's going to have to do. If we did a tumblr page, with the cast we had planned we'd be giving stuff away. (A) It also wouldn't help that many people. Most of our readers don't go on our tumblr, so that would only help a few people.**

**Wordlet: (B) Aww, thank you! I love working with Anj. Her work in this chapter blew me away. (A) Thanks so much! I love having a partner for this story. It's such a large undertaking that I don't think either of us would be able to handle it on our own. I like to think we work well off of each other's strengths and weaknesses.**

**Mithril Lace: (B) I do too! But as a writer I know how long it takes, too. Which is forever! Lots of plotting and reworking and planning and hundreds of pages of notes. (A) Thank you! We take a lot of time on plotting each chapter, and we just hope that it translates well to you lovelies.**

**The Magical Kaitou KID: (B)Oh, we have plans, and it shall be cute and funny and I can't wait. (A) Here's your update.**

**Philosophical Petunia: (B) Oh thank goodness. I spend HOURS looking up different creatures. And there's a story behind that… (A) Yes, it's Garp and that explains it away XD But we do actually have a little background into that, and we'll show it further in.**

**cantorahagedoorn: (B) The great thing about stories is you can join in at any time, right? So, welcome! Of course Shanks is going to be shocked, Marco the human hater has pet humans! (A) We've actually heard that a lot XD I know a lot of people pass up the story at first glance. I don't know about Beddy but I get it a lot with my other fics, too. It's such an odd pattern.**

**lostdog200: (B) Possessive Marco is fun to write. (A) Here's an update~**

**Aerle: (B) As we said, don't expect people to be like they were in canon. Shanks is actually very powerful as an elemental. (A) It's kind of funny how that works, isn't it? Shanks has no relation to the elements but he seemed like a perfect fit. As for Akainu, he does his duties well… but that doesn't mean we have to like him for it XD Law's fun. Unfortunately we couldn't give too much away last chapter, but we were more trying to establish relations. You're very welcome~**

**Ruritto: (B) Don't break your phone! We're worth it, but then you need to get a new one, and really, what would you read on until then? We questioned how people were going to react to the other mythos, but we are world building here. Everything affects everything else. Wanna really shudder? Because Akainu picked Shanks as the next leader, they actually hang out a lot and get along **_**reasonably**_ **well. For a younger generation vs an older one. (A) Ohh my god what a story XD Please, don't break your electronics! You need them! But it's nice to hear that you were excited. We were excited to post! Yeeeah I can't say our Akainu will be worth changing your opinion of him. You're welcome!**

**Nekocin: (B) I hope you continue to enjoy it~. (A) They're healing fine, and Marco's now free to get back to his mothering XD**

**Trich: (B)Thank you very much! (A) Here's an update!**

**mittensx7768: (B) Ahh he loves it. (A) Fortunately for all that he's socially awkward, he's tolerant. The boys can be lucky for that.**

**everLastingTime: (B) The language barrier gives us problems too, sometimes! (A) They're getting there, slowly but surely!**

**somethingsmellsfishy: (B) We spend a lot of time hashing out details to make sure the world comes together in a way that makes it very believable. I will admit it IS hard not to rush to the parts we really wanna write, though. (A) She's right. There's this one scene that I really, REALLY want to write but it's far-off, so I sadly have to wait. I actually already wrote a scene of Marco's past, though. Buuuut that won't get put into the story for a long, long time.**

**hart: (B) Aww you're so sweet. Shanks doesn't even know Ace and Luffy. Everything will become clear in time. (A) So glad you like!**

**ThisCat: (B) Keep on smiling! (A) We're doing our best!**

**MaskedPyro: (B) Tell that to Ligi… except he got eaten. (A) They'll meet! But that's all I can say on that without Beddy yelling at me XD**

**PhantoMNiGHT321: (B) Sorry about the wait, we update when we can. Akainu isn't a bad guy in this story. He might not be likeable, but he's understandable. (A) Yeah a lot is going on, hopefully it doesn't get confusing, though. We're going to try to be careful writing about it all!**

**avaiaal: (B) I'm glad you're enjoying it! (A) Aaaand the story is continued. Hope you enjoy!**

** : (B) I for one wish we thought of doing it BEFORE the night we updated. It takes forever! (A) I don't like not replying, it feels… kinda cold, you know? And I enjoy talking to you guys. I'm really glad you like it!**

**Sara: (B) We'll never abandon this story, I swear it. It's all plotted out. (A) A lot of people always end up thinking the story is abandoned because we don't update often, but the thing is… we never have. A look at when we published it, our recent update and the number of chapters proves this. So try not to worry about it, it's because the chapters are so long and we have a lot of planning to do coupled with real life and other obligations like to our other stories. It won't be dropped, but there will almost certainly be a few months between chapters.**

**Bard of Chaos: (B) You know the servants thought he was nuts, right? Totally nuts. (A) And there's definitely gossip going around about that now.**

**Mary D. Sue: (B) That was all Anj. She does great at Law. (A) Ahhh thank you so much! . He's hard to write. Hard, but fun. As for canon powers, keep in mind that it's AU so we owe NOTHING to the canon verse. That's all I'll say.**

**XxFire-PhoenixxX: (B) Yep, the place he was talking about was the main compound, where he took the boys to live. You'll find a lot of people in this who were 'good' in the series aren't necessarily good, and people who were 'bad' aren't anymore. (A) ...Did you review twice? I saw your name when I was replying earlier. Anyway, as far as there being things the same as in canon, you'll probably find a few but more or less a lot of the story is completely separate. Trust me. Just wait until you meet Dragon's mother. We really don't lend much from canon.**

**Akage987: (B) We're never going to abandon this, though updates might be slow. Life happens and with two of us there's twice as much life. (A) What Beddy said! As far as Shanks, I think Beddy mentioned it to another reviewer.**

**silverchiarixx: (B) Yeah, poor kids sure didn't have an easy time; even with the humans. (A) Let's just say that those are only a few of the names they heard.**

**Miki3: (B) All I'll say is that the fruits are special. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far though! (A) A lot of people seem to think it has to do with those fruits, we'll see about that...**

**SisterAssassins: (B) You can't just BECOME a mythos. You have to be born one, kinda like how Ace tells Luffy you can't just BE a dragon. (A) Luffy is just the cutest little thing, isn't he?**

**ThiefofStealth: (B) You're most welcome! We do have Whitebeard's meeting in the lineup, but we don't want to rush it. He's… shocking. (A) The Whitebeard meeting is coming up! While I can't say when, I can say that it'll be before we get the next arc rolling in.**

**Ventusio: (B) Well the last person who hurt them didn't live long /shot…. Luffy and Ace have a very involved backstory that we've been dropping hints at while trying not to give things away. (A) Law's going to be great for the kids because of how calm he is, just wait. Shanks has been dealing with this a long while, but it's not like he's just going to forget about it. He still lost people, yeah?**

**Mad Y u e: (B) Atlantis just sort of happened. As for everything else, you're going to have to wait and see why Marco hates humans. I'm looking forward to getting to his backstory. It's going to be… well, not fun to write, but interesting. (A) It'd be a good idea to watch for Law's thoughts during his scenes for reasons like that XD Atlantis was… well, Beddy was the one to propose it, and I about had the same reaction as you XD**

**Miss Jenca: (B) Hey, new readers are always welcome! (A) Glad you enjoyed~**

**Adieu~**

***chapter quote by ****Nathaniel Branden**


	10. All Generalizations Are False

**Chapter Quote: **"_**All generalizations are false, including this one."**_

**B: Hey all, lookie here! A new chapter! Well, YOU might not be excited about this, but we sure are. Anj and I did a lot of plotting in the last week on top of finishing this chapter so we've nailed down the details for the next few chapters. That's in between updating our our stuff, Anj working on the BigBang, and me working on a long story I'm hoping to put out at the same time. I hope everyone had/is having a great New Years, and that your holidays went well. I won't bore you all with the sordid details of MY month…. Let's just say I'd trade places with Atche and Luhfi right now. This chapter's got a lot going on, even if you don't think so at first glance.**

**A: So this chapter does biiiiig set up for the next few, and I'm so so SO excited to get to those. In fact I want to work on the next chapter now! Buuuut I should probably update some other fics first. Damn. Anyways, this is our New Year give to you lovelies, our first update of 2016! Enjoy~**

* * *

><p>"Keep it down or you're gonna wake him!" Atche shushed Luhfi again, voice a mock whisper as his little brother crawled under the sagging hammock. Every night for a week the two of them had been sneaking out of their room to stand at the door of Mister Marco's under the watchful gaze of Thatch or Izo. It had taken that long, staring at the mesmerizing glowing blue bird that they <em>knew<em> was Marco to work up the nerve to go into the room, or at least for Atche to. He was still afraid—if they woke the great bird he _still _might attack them—but Marco had been… kind. Yes, kind. They'd missed him when he was gone, and Lu wanted to sleep as close as he could in case the bird snuck off again. Truthfully Atche felt the same way.

So the two of them had attempted to sneak past Izo, arms full of pillows and blankets to the point of tripping over themselves as soon as they were sure Marco was asleep. Mister Izo pretended to ignore them, which was quite a feat in itself with Luhfi giggling. "Lu, don't touch the feathers," Atche whispered. He fluffed the last two pillows _just so_, unaware that it was a behavior he'd picked up from Marco, before turning to his little brother with a grin that looked odd in the strange light. Marco slept in a hammock type… thing. It was suspended from the ceiling on a few chains, and with the two of them nestled comfortably beneath, it helped block some of the admittedly distracting light from the phoenix's blue flames. "Comfortable?"

"Mhmm! You, Atche?" Luhfi chirped, burrowing under the blankets with a yawn.

"Yeah." He was, too. It felt safe there, even with what had to be the most terrifying mythos of all times _right above them_. It was still Marco. He _liked_ Marco, even if he still wasn't always sure about Suzaku… or any of the other monsters, really. Marco and the others made him feel good most times… Atche yawned. "Gnight, Lu."

"Niiiight…"

And where could be safer than with the strongest monster alive?

* * *

><p>Thatch slept a lot. <em>A lot<em>. He knew that and, damn it, he wasn't ashamed. So with as many hours as he spent slumbering away he'd made a habit out of checking the cubs whenever he happened to wake during the night—or day, considering just how many naps he'd slip in if given the chance—just incase old Featherhead had slept through one of their nightmares, or the boys got hungry or bored. What? Marco could be a _very_ boring bird, what with those dull, half-lidded eyes that just seemed to _stare into your soul_ and—

He was getting sidetracked. This wasn't important right now.

_Anyway._ So when Thatch made his usual rounds after waking from a particularly restless catnap to find the boys missing from their room, he was more than just a little anxious. But it was fine, they got up on occasion and wandered about when they couldn't sleep. He supposed he could shed their absence in a positive light—at least he hadn't come in to find the of them huddled in a corner, shaking over some imagined terror. Their nightmares had settled some as of late, which he supposed could be called progress. But that didn't stop the moment of panic that ran through him when he found them gone out of their pillow nest.

Maybe they'd gone to the bathroom. Hell, more than once he'd found Ace helping his little brother who'd _somehow_ ended up covered in syrup. Thatch could only blame the treats he'd left out. Hell, maybe they'd even fallen asleep in there. But checking revealed no tufts of unruly dark hair peeking out of the top of the tub. Could they have gone out into the formal sitting room? Well… no, the door was locked. It was _always_ locked.

Now Thatch was worried. Pacing wouldn't do any good, though, so he walked back out into the private sitting room and—

Izo. He saw Izo. A rush of short-lived relief washed over him as he'd missed his brother on his way in, the turtle's dark hair and night robes blending in with the darkness of the room. But a quick glance around still showed no cubs and his moment of relaxation was gone. It wasn't that he doubted Izo's ability to look after the little ones… it was just that, well, Izo _did_ tend to become absorbed in his sewing at times… and Thatch was admittedly paranoid. So he checked the door to the yard only to find it was still slid closed. Ace and Luffy weren't behind the desk or under the table…

He took a deep breath and tugged at his hair, trying to think of where else they could have gotten off to. And oh was he thankful their resident firebird was sleeping through this whole fiasco… A distressed Marco was more than a problem for just himself.

"They're fine," Izo commented, holding up the shirt he was embroidering to study the stitching.

"They're _not in their room, _Izo."

"I'd noticed." Silver eyes met golden brown for just a moment. "It was hard to miss, to be honest."

That gave the tiger pause. "Huh?"

"You know how they have been sneaking out recently to check on Marco?"

"Yeah. To make sure he's still there. It's cute. What of it?" A smirk answered him. "You're kidding!"

Izo carefully folded the shirt as he stood. "Go on and look if you don't believe me. It was the cutest thing, the two of them trying to sneak into his room a few hours ago."

He could imagine that, especially once he reached the door to Marco's room and cautiously looked in. Peaking out from under the hammock that held the phoenix in his feathery glory was the tail end of a blanket. Stepping into the room on silent feet he crouched low and saw them. The two cubs had brought what to them must have seemed like a lot of blankets and pillows but in reality probably wasn't enough. Not for sleeping on the floor at night this time of year. He wasn't too worried as both had cuddled up against each other and Marco himself did put off a little bit of heat. Still. "It's a bit cold for this."

"It's fine for tonight. I'll be sure to have the servants bring extra blankets and pillows for them next time."

Thatch glanced up at Izo in shock. "Marco knows about this?"

The turtle rolled his eyes, "_No,_ he doesn't. But he will if you don't keep it down. I'll just tell him they are for the sitting room. The hatchlings like to nap there as well and it will be too cold soon enough for that unless we provide nesting material."

"So you're going to lie to him." Thatch found his gaze falling back to the sleeping little ones. "Good. They need this. I think they all do. Look at Marc, his wings are drooping."

"He's nesting alright. But we should probably make sure they're back in their own room before he wakes up. At least for now."

Thatch nodded, "I'll move them before waking the fool up…. Hey Iz, have the servants give this room a good sweeping. I'm seeing a lot of feather ash. Damn idiot and his obsessive preening. Don't want them to get sick or something from it."

"It amazes me that our brother still has yet to realise the extent of his feelings towards the little ones." Izo commented as he gracefully glided from the room. Thatch trailed after him as Genbu once more picked up his embroidery and began at a new location. "Everyone else has realised his feelings by now."

"Yeah, but this is _Marco_ we're talking about, and they're humans. Cute little buggers, but human. Of course he's going to deny it. Suzaku with human nestlings, though…" He paused, "It's a shame that they'd be too afraid of him in that form when he's awake. It would do him a world of good."

Silver eyes glanced up at him, "I wouldn't be so sure of their fear, Byakko. Human hatchlings are resilient things. Just look at how far ours have come."

"Yeah, but I still think they'd be scared. Right now he's like a big soft glow torch. You can barely see him in that nest of his."

"Not all that long ago even that much would have been enough to send the hatchlings into hysterics. Give them time."

Thatch sighed, conceding the point as he settled into one of the chairs, picking up the book he'd started the night before. If the kids were sleeping soundly then he was going to take advantage of it and keep his brother company. Neither needed to say anything, having spent many an evening in such a manner. Centuries of familiarity made it unnecessary, though Thatch kept sneaking glances at Izo. It pained him that soon enough he'd be without Izo who had acted more often than not as the voice of reason between the three of them. He didn't know how they were going to manage to take care of the cubs when they could barely take care of themselves sometimes. But Izo had faith in them, at least, so Thatch was going to try to as well.

"You can stop watching me like that. I'm not going to vanish before your eyes," Izo commented without looking up.

"Sorry. Just thinking, ya know?"

The turtle hummed in reply. "Don't think too hard, you'll ruin your good looks."

"Flatterer." He grinned, "Really, I wish…."

"Stop. There is no point in wishing for what cannot be. I will die and leave your side for a while. It isn't the first time you've experienced this."

"But it's _your_ first time. I don't like it." Thatch pouted.

Izo paused in his stitching to watch him a moment before shaking his head, "The hatchlings are handling this better than you are, dear tiger."

The tiger's pout turned into a frown as his hand nervously ran through his hair. "That's because we haven't told them yet," he muttered, looking away.

"You haven't told them," Genbu repeated, tone flat. "One of the _three_ people in their lives is going to die and you _haven't told them_."

"I didn't want to hurt them, alright? They're _cubs_! _Human_ cubs at that! They won't understand, and what with their dam being—well, you know—you know they're just going to get really upset over this, Izo." His brother just glowered at him, sewing forgotten for the time. Thatch squirmed for a bit before he finally caved and put his book down with a sigh. "I'll go wake them. Might as well tell them now before Marco wakes up. That way when they pitch a fit the bird doesn't have to know."

"You do that," came the frosty reply as his brother started packing away his supplies.

Just because he said he was going to wake them that didn't mean Thatch didn't take a moment to enjoy the sight of the boys snuggled together. Carefully he picked up the pillows and blankets that had been knocked out of their little makeshift nest and tossed them out the door into the main sitting room in case he had to carry the little ones out. It was still early, with the sky just turning that wonderful purpling pink, so he expected them to be a little hard to rouse. Gently he reached out and shook Ace's thin shoulder. "Ace, time to wake up."

The cub yawned widely before blinking dazedly at him. Thatch just smiled at him, even when those grey eyes widened in panic. "Sorry!" the cub whispered, hugging his little brother tightly enough to wake the other boy.

"Shhh, it's alright. _Not mad_. Good cubs, sleep well?" Both nodded warily at him. "Come. Quietly. _Don't wake _Marco. _Our secret_, alright?" he winked at them as he held out his arms to the two for the last of the blankets and pillows. Little Luffy instead climbed into his arms with another yawn and held on. Thatch smiled ruefully as Ace blushed slightly and began trying to carry their bedding out of the room on his own. It was adorable how independent he was trying to be when Thatch could tell what he really wanted was to be carried as well.

Once they entered the sitting room it took a little work to convince Luffy to let go. The cub was more awake but having gotten away with being carried he seemed more than content to _stay_ attached to Thatch. It was a shame that the tiger couldn't allow him to do so when he knew that even now such gestures were rarely accepted by the boys. "Come little one, I need to talk to you, and I can't do that with you clinging to me like this."

"Having a bit of trouble?" Izo asked, coming over and carefully prying grasping hands from Thatch's hair and shirt. He gently placed the boy on a chair before scooping up Ace and depositing him on it as well. "There we go. Now, Thach has something to tell you, alright boys?"

"We in trouble?" Luffy asked, turning his big eyes on Thatch.

"No!" Thatch was quick to assure, crouching low so he was closer to their level as Izo backed off to give them space. "It's about Izo."

Both boys looked over at the man in question before looking back at Thatch who could only offer them a wane smile. "Don't get upset, but—Izo is going to die soon." _Don't get upset. Over a death. Sure. _He chastised himself internally, but… both cubs just stared at him. Ah, right. Language barrier. Thatch went over what he had said in his head before trying again, this time in their language. "_Izo is dying soon. Don't cry, it will be alright._"

Ace cocked his head to the side as Luffy climbed into his lap asking, "Why?"

"Because it's his time."

Ace shook his head, shoulders hunched. "No. Why cry? Izo die. So? _People die and leave us. Crying doesn't help._"

"Hey, it's alright to be upset…" Thatch offered, not liking the look of acceptance in their eyes—not when coupled with the way their body language screamed depressed at him. He huffed. "He'll be back…"

"Dead stay dead." Luffy sniffed. "Dead not here."

"Yeah, humans. But mythos… Izo, help?"

The turtle let out a tired sounding sigh as he came over and scooped up the cubs while making soothing noises. "Mythos have small-deaths. Like a long sleep, yes? Very long."

"B-but…" The elder of the two whimpered, "_Dead is dead._"

"Oh my. Thatch, I'll handle this. You go be a dear and wake up Marco, hmm?"

Thatch was only too happy to agree as he watched Izo carry the two into their own room and shut the door. Even still he could hear their confused questions and the occasional sniffle as he eased Marco's door open all the way. In the light of the rising sun his brother did truly look splendid, and it was with great glee he woke the bird most mornings. This time he checked under the hammock again before making his attempt. The last thing he needed was for Marco to know he had visitors during the night, and the forgotten toy Thatch found underneath would have been a dead giveaway. Unfortunately the tiger was so distracted by thoughts of the little cubs and their distress that he wasn't paying attention and managed to hit his head on the under part of the hammock while he was climbing out from under it.

"Damn!" Blue eyes opened and Marco turned his swan-like neck in order to better glare at his brother for disturbing his sleep. "I meant, 'damn it's gotten so late!' Time to get up, you great feathered lump." He hedged, fingers clutching the doll even tighter when Marco reached over and tapped his beak to it, obviously wondering what Thatch was doing with it. "Uh, it wanted to kiss you good morning!" He smashed the toy into Marco's face, ignoring the trill of annoyance. "Up, sleepyhead." Dodging a wing Thatch left the room so his brother could change in peace. Looking at the toy he smiled to himself, wondering what his brother would think when he realised his little cubs felt safest with him above them.

...Nah, he didn't wonder. Denial. Denial all the way.

* * *

><p>Izo hid a smirk as he watched Marco cajole the two hatchlings out of his chambers into the hallway. While the two of them had gotten to the point of darting out into the hall on their own in order to welcome one of the saint beasts those moments were almost painfully short, especially when any unexpected noise would see them both pressed against the saint beast in question, or ducking back into the room with eyes wide in fear. Still, progress was progress and Marco had been forced at last to cave to Pop's request of bringing the young humans to see him.<p>

Marco had of course convinced himself that they'd do _something_ horribly _human_ and their father would demand that he remove his pets from the compound. As though Whitebeard could ever be so heartless. Izo had also shot down waiting until Ace was healed more, or starting with less intimidating mythos, like the servants. For one, Ace was healing very nicely. As for the servants, both boys had every reason to be intimidated by the servants. No, they'd done quite well with Law and Otohime. Well enough, he assured Marco, to meet their father.

"I think we should try another day," Marco sighed, looking down at Luffy who'd fisted his little hand in Marco's robes. Ace had yet to leave the doorway and was eyeing Marco with something that wasn't quite suspicion. "They're not ready. Just look at them, yoi."

"They're fine, Marco. This is just something new and you know how they get around new things." Izo brushed some imaginary lint off of Marco. "Relax. They're taking their cues from you, brother. Not I. The more anxious you are about this the harder you make it for them."

Blue eyes regarded him, looking for the lie before the phoenix blinked in surprise. "They're following _my_ lead?" He looked back down at the hatchlings, seeming to take in for the first time that both pairs of eyes were fixed on his face—reading his subtle expressions. He saw the moment Marco realised it. He sighed, holding out his hand for the elder of the two with a small smile. "Ace? It's alright. _It's good._ Come?"

The boy chewed his lip for a moment. "Marco upset?"

"No. It's alright. I'm—"

"Marco _is nervous,_" Izo explained, crouching slightly, "_We are going to meet his papa and he wants you to like him._"

Luffy pouted cutely, "Marco's _papa? Sooo… like a grandpa?_" He looked at his brother, "_Atche?_"

"Marco's _papa_?" He reached a decision, switching his hold from the doorframe to the large clawed hand being held out to him. It was clear to Izo that the hatchling wanted Marco to be proud of him with the way he looked up at the blond, even if it wasn't clear to Marco.

His brother stood straight, beginning what was sure to be a long walk towards Whitebeard's informal receiving room. Despite the fact that he had two small hatchlings clinging to him, Suzaku _still_ managed to somehow look stately in a way that Izo was horribly jealous of. Silence reigned for as long as it took them to reach the end of their private wing. "What exactly did you say to them?"

"Just the truth," Izo replied, entering the next hallway first in order to hopefully discourage any _excitable_ servants from approaching. "That we are taking them to meet your father and you want them to like him."

"It's more of the other way around, yoi," Marco muttered, though the way he watched the two at his side said differently.

"Of course, dear."

Marco shot him a look of mild annoyance. "Why isn't Thatch here again?"

"Because someone forgot to lock the door and the cat slipped out during the night. He'll come scratching at the front gate when he's gotten hungry." He allowed some of his annoyance at the other to slip through. Thatch has apparently not taken Izo's revelation well and taken the first opportunity to go on one of his walkabouts at the absolutely worst time. Still it was the tiger's loss in the end; he'd been so excited to introduce the little ones to their father figure and now the man had requested an audience while Thatch was away.

"Ah. I should be surprised, but…"

"It's so typical of him. So unreliable." Izo sighed.

Marco shook his head, "He wasn't always like this," he commented as they walked. To Izo's inquiring sound he continued, "He used to be… harder. It was before your time, but something happened, and before you ask I don't know. I prefer him this way, yoi."

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what exactly Marco meant about that when a servant caught his eye. The man, a hare mythos, was standing at the next intersection, twisting his hands as he waited for them to approach. Genbu of course wasn't the first one to notice, nor was Suzaku. No, the first to notice were little Ace and Luffy who took one look at the man before ducking behind Marco. The man at least had the presence of mind to look abashed by this. It didn't stop Izo from glaring at him. When the servant didn't flee Izo had to acknowledge the man must be there for a reason beyond catching a glance at the hatchlings. "You may approach."

"I'm sorry, my lords. Terribly sorry." He bowed low, ears flat against his skull in agitation. He was careful to keep his eyes on anything but the two little ones who were peaking at him from behind the shelter of Marco's robes as he approached. Izo offered a small nod, pleased at the surprising wisdom the hare was showing.

Marco was predictably less forgiving as he towered over the servant. "What?"

"Lord Suzaku, greatest apologies but the raven clan and the golem clan have been sending missives daily. They are both demanding an audience with you, my lord." The servant dared to look up, and it was easy to see the worry etched on his face. Worry for Marco. "We have tried to put them off, sir. I—we—know how exhausted you must be; caring for young leverets is taxing."

The phoenix let out an almost silent hiss, standing straighter even as Izo snapped out, "What business are the young ones to you?"

The hare's eyes crinkled shut, "Nothing at all, my lord, beyond the understanding of a father." _One father to another_. Izo's lips twitched in understanding. "Leverets are a handful no matter what the species, I imagine."

"That they are," Marco conceded before applying pressure to the bridge of his nose. "Very well. Inform both clans I will meet with them at my convenience."

"Very good, Sire." The hare bowed low before backing away and taking his leave.

Marco let out a sigh, eye twitching slightly before he smoothed his expression and turned his attention to the hatchlings. "Ace, Luffy?"

Both stared up at him, holding hands and Marco's robes. "Safe?" two voices asked.

"Safe. Come along." Marco offered them both his hands and didn't even wince when they latched on, content and trusting in him to keep them safe.

"More meetings," Izo mused. "You of course realise that before long it will be down to you and the tiger looking after the hatchlings."

"Don't remind me, yoi. It's been hard enough with the three of us. I'll figure something out."

"Or work yourself to exhaustion trying to be in two places at once, the both of you." He shook his head. "I know you don't want to hear it, but it might be wise to consider a nursemaid to help."

Marco's eyes narrowed, "Who would you suggest? One of the servants? No. I will not risk their lives like that again."

"Don't think I would, either, brother." He glared right back. "The fact remains that you need help." Already he was running through the numerous contacts he had, narrowing the list of potential candidates.

"There is no one to ask."

"Leave finding such a person to me," he commented, nodding to the large doors that would open onto Whitebeard's domain. "You have enough on your plate, Marco."

* * *

><p>Whitebeard shifted again in his padded chair, still searching for that illusive position that would make the giant look less intimidating and kind at the same time. Lost cause or not it kept him from getting too nervous while he waited for his sons to bring the little calves to meet him for the first time. He was under no illusions that they would not be frightened; he just hoped there wouldn't be any screaming. It was very hard to make a positive first impression when caves were <em>terrified<em> of you. Frowning slightly he shifted again and wondered if it might not be better to sit on the floor.

The chance to move was lost, however, when there was a knock. "Come in," he called, and one of the doors at the end of the receiving room opened. Izo was the first one to step through. The turtle held the door wide enough for his brother to enter without having to look up before closing it carefully. Whitebeard barely noticed, however. His attention was fixed to Marco. His son was focused completely on the two young that were clinging to his robes. If nothing the others had told him had convinced the giant that his bird had been changed by these two small lives, that would have. Marco was not one for casual touches from strangers in the first place, and had been _known_ to kill humans who had dared to touch his clothes. True those had been adults—prisoners taken in battle—but he had done it.

Here he was, though, with his robes wrinkled from grasping hands, a soft voice telling the culprits that there was nothing to worry about. He was so proud of his Marco. "My sons."

Marco managed a warm smile nodded deeply, hands full with disentangling himself. "Father."

"_This is _Marco's _papa._" Izo dipped low in a very formal bow that seemed out of place—a foreign gesture in contrast to the curtsy Whitebeard was used to. "Father. _This is how you should greet him._"

It made more sense when both calves attempted to copy the bow, holding onto Marco's hands so they didn't fall over. It was in truth adorable, and he could see Marco's lips twitch in the beginning of a smile as he also bowed. "_Good _hatchlings," he heard the phoenix whisper.

"Come, no need to be so formal among family." Whitebeard smiled warmly at them all, holding still as both younglings stared up at him with wide eyes. There didn't seem to be much fear and for that he was thankful. Shock was evident, though, and he was sure any sudden movement on his part would have them hiding—possibly under Marco's robes if they could get away with it. They were studying him and he took the opportunity to return the favour. Both were dressed in clothes meant for formal meetings. While unusual for children to have such finery, he wasn't too surprised given Izo's love of crafting. It was also Izo's way of telling exactly how he felt about the calves and Whitebeard respected that. "Are you going to introduce me to your wards, Marco?"

"Of course, Father. The eldest is Ace." A clawed hand rested upon the mop of unruly dark hair that tilted back as the boy tried to look up at Marco. "And this is Luffy." The littler one just grinned widely.

"Ah. A pleasure to meet you both," he told the calves as he leaned forward.

"Hi!" the youngest chirped in what was clear, unmistakeable mythos.

"Good… see you," the older added.

While the grammar wasn't fantastic the meaning was clear. They were returning his greeting. He saw Marco and Izo both tense as he realised that they were teaching the calves to understand and _speak_ mythos. Both Ace and Luffy picked up on their guardian's mood almost immediately and the hesitant smiles were gone, replaced by almost fearful looks. It was always hard seeing calves in distress, more so when you knew that they'd been hurt before.

Whitebeard allowed his smile to return and grow wide. "Guahahaha! Very good! What smart little calves you two are. Come here and let me get a better look at you, Ace, Luffy."

The two looked at Marco for permission before slowly approaching, being sure to stay back far enough that they could run back to him if they felt the need. Both looked a little thin still, but he could see the improvements they'd made since the last time he'd espied them from outside the garden. There was also a noticeable spark in those dark eyes that watched his every move, a look he was familiar with after raising Marco and Thatch more than once. These two were going to keep his boys on their toes. Someday soon, he hoped as he bent down to offer his much larger hand to them in greeting.

The elder studied his fingers carefully. If he was bothered by the fact that each digit was larger than either child it didn't show on his face at all. After a moment or two he carefully placed his own hand on Whitebeard's index finger before looking up at the aged giant and applying more pressure. Luffy slapped his own hand down next to his brother's and beamed first at Whitebeard and then Ace. "_Atche_, _our new grandpa is so big! He's the biggest ever!_"

"My name is Whitebeard." He smiled down at them.

"Wha—- whea—-" The eldest let out a huff, face scrunched up as he tried to sound out the word. "Wheatbread." While cute, it wasn't even close. He could tell the boy knew it, too.

"..._Grandpa_," the little one stated, and Ace nodded after a moment, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Alright. You may call me that." He agreed. His name _could_ be difficult after all. "Pops it is."

* * *

><p>The servant would have been lying if she told herself that she wasn't just the tiniest bit nervous going into the master wing after so long. If not under orders she would have avoided it all together, but Madame Tsuru had given strict instruction to take to tidying it up while Master Marco and Lord Izo were out with the human kits—to visit Whitebeard, presumably. The humans hadn't so much as taken one step out of that wing since their arrival. No one had seen them, other than the masters of course, but the lingering human scent that wafted out into the main halls of the building was unmistakable. Over time they'd grown used to it, for the most part, but… that wing was in dire need of a good airing out, she'd bet. Perhaps the stench was what had the masters all riled up as of late.<p>

Mari walked ahead of her. Having arrived only weeks before the humans Syn had much to learn, what with how strict and particular the lords could be about proper conduct in that compound, and so she was to follow her mentor through her duties and assisted, and would do so until her apprenticeship was complete.

That did not mean she _liked_ her mentor.

The door to the master wing slid open and immediately they were assaulted by the kits' scent, covering their noses with their sleeves as the pressed down the hall. Other than that it looked oddly normal… With all of the gossip the cleaning ladies had been telling one another she'd half expected even the entrance to be trashed. The pets allegedly hadn't been tamed. While she'd never really _seen_ feral humans, she assumed by what the ladies said that they couldn't be good.

Mari's sleeve fell to her side and she sniffed the air, nose scrunched up as she spun to face one of the room entrances and threw open the door to find a sparsely-furnished sitting room. This was one of the rooms they'd been staying in, judging by smell, and though it didn't look very messy it felt almost… unclean. That could have been her own personal bias, though. "We'll need to wipe down every surface. Understand, Syn?"

Syn blinked and then nodded a bit hesitantly. "Yes, of course."

"There's no telling what those little hellbeasts have done with the place... The masters may have taken it upon themselves to care for them, but it's _hardly_ their place to be cleaning up after a pair of humans. They're above that." Mari sighed, slipping her bangs behind her ears as she stepped further in. "Come on, let's air this place out first off. I'll get the garden door, you handle the bedroom."

"Of course," Syn nodded, and then slipped through to the inner sitting room, and then to what she could only assume was the humans' bedroom. She had to take a moment of pause to soak up the interior—a pile of pillows and sheets in the corner, an unkempt mess with pieces scattered all about. Her first instinct was to hurry and organize them, to even bring them out to wash and replace them with cleaner cushions and the like from the north wing closet, but as she knelt down the kits' scents became almost overwhelming. She took one pillow in her hands, careful not to tear the surface with her long claws, and stared.

Of course she'd heard the stories. Of course she'd heard the rumors. The pets had been abused by a servant while the masters were away, and they were weak, scared little things. And as her eyes cast towards a small, child-sized futon unused in the corner she had to wonder just what was going through their heads when they arrived there…

And what the masters were thinking, keeping them in a room like that. It was spacious with plush carpeting seen only in the masters' rooms. Silk drapes hung from the lone window, too high up for small hands to reach, and the patterns and colours of the pillows showed dye work from three specific, noteworthy clans. For them to have given up their own items for those boys…

"Syn, what's taking you?"

She jolted up, the pillow falling silently to her feet as she hurried to drag a chair over, hefted herself onto it and unlatched the window. "Just—just a moment, alright? I'm getting it!"

"Don't use that sass with me, young lady."

She rolled her eyes, stepping off the chair. But as she went to drag it back to its proper space she felt a small resistance. Kneeling down to get a good look it didn't take long for her to notice the leg catching on a loose corner of carpet sticking up above the rest. "Fantastic…" She smoothed her fingers over the carpet only to see a large section scrunch up as it was shifted. It looked like a whole patch was coming up, meaning that it would be in need of fixing soon else tiny paws trip over it, and she wondered how the masters hadn't noticed and called a servant in to fix it, or done so themselves…

But then something from beneath caught her eye and against her better judgement she lifted the corner.

A loose floorboard.

Brows scrunched up in a strange confusion she pressed down on it, earning a creak as the other end of the board slipped up. The whole thing was just… unattached. But a close look showed indents of missing nails. It _had_ been, but… _Odd._ The annoyed voice of her mentor from the other room was drowned out by curiosity and she lifted it, eyes widening.

An irritated huff sounded Mari's entrance. "Honestly, what do you think you're doing? The masters could be back with their pets at a moment's notice. We don't have time for you to be idling about like this!"

Syn glanced up at her momentarily before casting her eyes back to the hole and soon both were crowding around. Treats had been stored in a cloth bag beneath the floorboards along with some other non-perishables, and it was easy to recognise it as Lord Thatch's cooking. He was a kind lord, often bringing the servants food and snacks in thanks for their hard work. "Why do you think…?"

Mari snorted. "They're humans. Who in the name of Kizaru knows?" Rising up and dusting off her robe, Mari headed back out into the sitting room with a short nod for Syn to follow. She did, a bit begrudgingly after replacing the board and carpet, but was surprised to find her mentor continuing past the inner sitting room and out onto the porch, and then… hopping off the edge, kicking the dirt. "They're like vermin, honestly. Stealing food and storing it around the wing."

Syn blinked, following her out and crouching down to peek under the porch where she found a hastily dug hole and a bag full of treats, and even some toys. There was a torn cloth, some shiny rocks from the garden, some dead flowers…

"Who knows how many more there are around here?" Mari crossed her arms. "It doesn't matter. Get to work before I tell Madame Tsuru you've been slacking."

That brought her out of her thoughts and she pouted at her mentor before heading back inside. "I was just curious…"

"Curiosity killed the cat, as they say."

"I'm a _fox_."

* * *

><p>Thatch knew it was a calculated risk to slip into the human lands while Izo and Marco were watching the cubs. It was still something he felt had to be done. For all the knowledge he and Izo had between the two of them, neither were exactly up to date on the proper care of human cubs. Thatch had to be <em>sure<em> that they were doing things right—feeding them right—so they'd thrive. Now that Marco was back and the little ones weren't jumping at their own shadows it was the perfect time. That it gave him a chance to clear his head was just an added bonus.

The only real issue was getting close enough to a residential area in a human city to see how the dams interacted with the young. Though Thatch liked to tell Marco he could _easily_ pass for a human the tiger was no fool. He was _good_, but it was a little hard to blend in successfully when one was eight feet tall. The tallest humans didn't even come to his chin when he stood straight. So Thatch had gotten very good at slouching without looking like he was. It still made him very tall in comparison to humans, but at least it wasn't as bad. Usually he passed it off as being a mercenary from a far off land. Given how well muscled he obviously was even when wearing long sleeved garments the lie was enough to suffice for the business districts in most cities for about a week before human nature took over and he'd be driven out.

The more residential areas were a different issue altogether. For all that mythos pretended that _male_ humans were the more deadly—and in battle it was true at least since the males _rarely_ let the females fight—the females were fierce as dragons when it came to defending their family. Any perceived threat by one female was met by a pack of them and anything they pointed their males at was quickly destroyed. Thatch had seen more than one of the fae mythos killed by a mob spurned on by the cries of the females and had a healthy respect for that kind of territorial behavior. It did make studying human cubs hard, given how jealously guarded they were.

The tiger wisely chose not to make himself a target and instead had picked a fountain that seemed to mark the separation between residential and market to lay in wait. If there was one thing cats were good at it was stalking prey, after all. So he spent the morning sitting on the lip of the fountain plaiting a rope to keep his hands busy and give apparent excuse for why he was there. Meanwhile he watched and studied every cubling that came within sight. They ranged from mewling tiny things being doted on by attentive mothers to cubs bordering on sub-adult and daring in their independence. Male or female they laughed, the cried, they screamed bloody murder... He felt his lips twitch at the thought of Marco's cubs doing the same. Hopefully one day they would again.

Carefully he studied what things seemed to interest the cubs closest in age to theirs, focusing a little more on those he deemed older by a few years. Ace and Luffy were _smart_, possibly smarter than any of these cubs. Babied though they were, he'd be _damned_ if he brought them human items that didn't match their intelligence at least. Play swords and weapons he saw were vastly popular and Thatch quickly ruled that one out. Other interests beyond food seemed to be brightly coloured pinwheels and small wooden boats to float in the fountain. There were a few other active cubs that caught his eyes. The two playing with a piece of rope by swinging it around wildly for a third to jump over. That was something he was sure their boys would love soon enough. Deciding he'd been here long enough, Thatch stood and quickly made his way over to the craftsman who seemed to be selling the cub toys. A few pieces of gold later and he had a selection of the entire store—enough, he hoped, to keep the cubs happy for awhile.

Thatch stretched as he left the stand, eager to get himself back home. His brothers would start to worry if he was gone _too_ long, after all, and the morning to himself had helped clear his head on top of being very educational. He was so distracted by his thoughts he didn't notice at first when the cry of alarm went up, not until he noticed all the cubs being scooped up and hustled away... away from him, the _monster_. The tiger let out a tired sigh as he bitterly reminded himself that they had every right to be afraid, just as afraid as mythos were of them, before the first rock flew. That was his cue to take his leave. Hopefully he'd manage to get away without too much trouble. Thatch didn't want to have to hurt any of them but he would if he had to. They weren't the only ones with cubs at home that needed protection.

* * *

><p>Marco sighed. He'd been doing a lot of that as of late, and honestly Atche hadn't a clue whether it was good or bad, or if it was <em>their<em> fault. Or if it _was_, how to rectify it. He didn't look _angry_, really, just… very, very tired. All of the monsters did. It seemed to be something that worsened as the day went on, and while it made him anxious he knew enough not to worry about getting _punished_ for it. That was something… well, something they'd been coming to realise slowly, over time.

There was a meal set before them, one Luhfi had wasted no time in mercilessly devouring while his brother was still left to admire the spread. They were given meat. That wasn't to say that they _never_ had meat, but after the incident with the eggs Thatchy had been a little more… hesitant about what he fed them. A lot of what they ate was fruits, breads. Things that were easy on their stomachs, he supposed. There was that lobster—but that had been a special treat, and it was _supposed_ to be for Izo.

Why hadn't Izo wanted it, he wondered…

Thatch had just stepped in, having gotten two more plates for him and Marco. The boys didn't really eat with the mythos all that much. Normally they woke later for breakfast, or two of three of their caretakers would be gone to eat somewhere else—with Grandpa, maybe?

Shaking his head of those thoughts he began poking at the meal with his fork, happy to finally be able to hold things without any pain. The skin around his hand felt tight, and a little uncomfortable, but the pain was gone and he didn't need to put that cream stuff on it anymore.

"_What's with the long face, buddy?"_ Thatch questioned, eyes cast towards Marco. Atche peeked up at them when he heard it, and he could have made out a few of the words—if he had bothered to listen. Somehow it felt… intrusive. But even though he missed the words he managed to catch the sympathetic half-smile Thatch shot Marco.

There was another loud, exhaled sigh, Marco's shoulders slumping it what could only be described as a look of defeat as claws drummed absently along the wood of the table. "_Izo wants to look for a nursemaid for the hatchlings, yoi. For when he's gone."_

Thatch clapped his brother on the back with a soft chuckle. "_Yeah, I can imagine he would. Cubs'll definitely notice when he leaves. Worried?"_

"_We won't find someone we can trust, yoi."_

"_You don't know that."_

"_I do."_

Atche pried his eyes away from the two when he felt a tug at his sleeve, and he blinked down at his brother. "Yeah, Lu?"

Large brown eyes gawked up at him. "Hey, Atche, what're they talkin' about?"

He raised an eyebrow, nibbling at some of the vegetables on his plate. "Why're you asking _me_?"

"'Cause you know it better than me!" By 'it', Atche assumed he meant the monsters' language. And while it was true that he'd been picking it up faster than his little brother, even _he _couldn't really catch the words when they were talking so fast. It was a bit frustrating.

But then there were those _eyes_ looking at him expectantly, admiringly, and he let out a groan as he turned again to the mythos, listening carefully. They didn't seem to notice him and that only succeeded in making it feel even more intrusive.

Marco frowned, hands clasped together, pressed against his lips as he stared absently at the sconces lined up along the wall. "_...What about that young Eastern dragon? What was his name?"_

Ah—he caught it that time! Well, the bit at the end, at least...

Thatch immediately shot down whatever the bird asked with a shake of his head. "_Can't do it. Dragon mentioned the kid was a little… off. Not exactly sure what he meant with that, but well, we can't exactly ask the lizard now, can we?"_

"_Was he good with them, at least?"_

"_Oh yeah, definitely. Cubs started laughing whenever they said his name. Think Law must mean something different in their language. He was surprisingly tolerant."_

And again there was a tug at Atche's sleeve. This time he only glanced to his sibling briefly, trying not to miss anything. "Atche, what're they saying about Radish?"

Honestly he hadn't a clue. The more he listened the more he was coming to realise just how slow the mythos had been speaking to them during their lessons and whenever they were being addressed. It was a little… irritating. He could learn it just fine at normal speed, damn it! He didn't need to be babied!

...Of course, he would never dare to say that aloud.

After a while he slouched, letting out a frustrated grunt. "I dunno, Lu… I'm trying here."

Luhfi pouted, still stuffing his face with whatever was in reach as he turned to Marco curiously. "Radish?" he managed to mumble between bites.

Both mythos halted their conversation to look at Luhfi confusedly, something clicking in Thatch's head as he leaned over to ruffle the brothers' hair. "It's nothing, cubs. We are just talking."

That did _not_ satisfy his brother, though, and Luhfi's pout deepened. "But I wanna know…"

The tiger seemed to catch on quickly, scooping Luhfi up into his arms and placing the boy on his leg as he pointed down at the spread on the table. "Wanna play?"

At first Luhfi looked confused but it didn't last as that impossibly-wide grin stretched across his face and he mimicked the pointing. "_Table!"_

"That's right. Table?"

Both boys nodded in approval. Thatch's pronunciation was getting better… Atche just hoped theirs was, too.

Thatch grinned, wrapping his arm around Lu's waist to keep him steady as he shifted in place. "What's that called? Plate?"

"_Plate!"_

"Aaaaaaaand over there? Water?"

"_Wasser."_

Atche cleared his throat, catching the slight error in his brother's pronunciation. "_...Water?"_

"Very good, Ace!"

The two went back and forth like that for a bit, all the while Atche's attention was fixed instead on Marco's perplexed expression. He felt his cheeks heat a bit nervously, realisation dawning on him that, well… they hadn't really shown off what they knew to their 'papa' yet. That was still such a foreign word,too, and calling Marco that… was a bit embarrassing, actually, now that the initial shock of the term had run its course. He found himself playing with a loose thread on the end of his shirt, resisting the urge to cast his eyes down into his lap.

It was a while before the game reached a lull and Marco leaned back in his seat, a surprised look on his face. "_They have learned a lot in my absence, yoi…"_

"_What can I say? They're smart cubs. They still have trouble with fast talking, though."_

"_I see…"_ The bird looked between them curiously, his lips curling upward ever so slightly, and that tiny look caused Atche to fluster. A part of him really hoped that they were making Marco proud. A lot about their situation confused him, but… Marco had been nice, even if he didn't seem it at first. He'd given them new clothes and food, and gotten them away from that… _thing_ that had them before. Atche wanted to show him that no, his efforts weren't wasted. They were learning! And—and they could learn _more_, too, if given the time. So that almost-smile was treated as a small personal victory. "_What's that you were doing? That… back-and-forth."_

"_Ah, that?"_ Thatch reclined in his chair, letting out a snort. "_Bit of a game the _cubs _came up with. Helps keep them engaged enough to learn, and helps me pick up on their language, too. Wanna give it a go?"_

"_What? I—"_ Marco blinked rapidly when Lufhi was handed off to him, a large smile and bright eyes staring up at him, and he looked so lost that Atche had to cover a teasing grin behind closed fingers. That man was supposed to be one of the scariest of all the monsters, but with such confusion on his face it was hard to picture. "_Thatch—what do I do? I don't…"_

"_Relax, Featherhead. Look, the cub's laughin' at ya."_

"_Shut up, Cat._"

Oh hey, he caught that one, too.

Thatch snickered, throwing his arms behind his head, one leg propped up on the other, looking so carefree Atche had to wonder if the stress from before was just imagined. "_Point to something, say the name. Then the cubs'll say their word for it. That's about it."_

"_What do I point to, yoi?"_

"_Anything!"_

It seemed Marco was drawing a blank, and after a moment of thought Atche pointed to Thatch. "Tiger."

Marco blinked, looking over to his brother, and it seemed to click. "_Tiger, yoi."_ Blue eyes darted around the room quickly before a clawed hand was raised. "_Pillow."_

Luhfi blinked and then giggled, nestling himself comfortably in the bird's arms. "That's an easy one! Pillow, shishishi!"

"_Floor."_

"Floor!"

"_Blanket."_

"Blanket."

"_Fireplace."_

"Fireplace!"

Atche rolled his eyes only to shrink back when he saw that Thatch caught the gesture. Maybe he was getting a little _too_ relaxed, but those words were just too simplistic for them by that point. They'd learned the words for a lot of the items in their rooms, and even a lot of the names of the different plants in the courtyard. It was nice that Marco was trying to play along, but he was a little behind what they were learning.

An idea crossed his mind and he leaned back against the wall, watching absently as his brother and the bird continued the game. Atche wanted… to show off. It was a strange urge, one he hadn't felt since they'd been with Mama. He liked showing off what he learned to her—Luhfi did, too. She would always smile at them with this warm look on her face, and they would feel so proud of themselves…

But that was then. And right now…

Atche took his time. He mulled over the words in his head, trying to remember the very few grammar rules he'd picked up over the course of however long they'd been there. The pronunciation had to be right, the wording had to be _perfect_. Otherwise Marco wouldn't be impressed, right?

Simpler sentences would be best, wouldn't they? Alright. Okay. Deep breath…

"_P—"_

His jaw snapped shut before the rest of that word could roll of his tongue and he was thankful no one seemed to notice. Or maybe Thatch did, with that smug smile he was wearing… Atche tried not to think of that. As though he could call a _monster_ 'Papa'...

He'd try again.

"_...Mister Marco?"_ he called, halting whatever words the man was about to speak as blue eyes slid over to him. Of course, that just succeeded in making him _more_ nervous, but he tried to hide that away behind a neutral mask, eyes coming to rest on the intricate patterns of Marco's robes. "_We learn this already. Can we learn new now, yoi?"_

Atche reddened, squeezing his eyes shut tight. Something hadn't sounded right. He'd messed up at _least_ once. The quiet that followed had him wishing he didn't say anything at all, but after a few awkward moments he felt a gentle but firm hand carding through his hair, the light trailing of nails against his scalp, and he chanced peeking one eye open. Marco was smiling, and immediately Atche's shoulders slumped in relief.

"Of course," came the simple reply as Marco slid off his chair onto the ground, leaving Luhfi to crawl over to the pillows in the corner with a yawn. "_I suppose_ _the cat's_ _already gotten to everything in here…"_

"_Oi,_ _I'm right here, Bird. Quit talkin' like I'm not."_

"_Hush."_ A soft hum soon followed, Marco's brow furrowed in thought. "_Where to start, though…"_

Atche didn't need to hear the words to know what they were saying, and he supposed it _was_ a bit sudden, seeing as Marco hadn't been there with them. He wouldn't know what they'd covered already, would he? So maybe learning something knew would have to wait…

But maybe they could give Papa a lesson or two themselves.

Grinning, Atche crawled over to where his brother was rearranging the pillows they'd brought out into the sitting room, flinching Luhfi's forehead and earning a surprised yelp.

"What was that for?!"

"Shh." With a finger pressed against his lips the question was dismissed, Luhfi blinking at him confusedly. "Wanna teach Mister Marco somethin'?"

At first the boy didn't seem to catch on, but realisation was evident in the way his eyes lit up soon after, a short giggle escaping him as he spun around to face the mythos, pillow hugged to his chest.

Atche did the same. "_Mister Marco?"_

The phoenix looked up, head cocked ever so slightly to the side when he spotted the pair. "_Yes, Ace?"_

"_We teach this time?"_

"_You…"_ Marco blinked, looking to Thatch for guidance, his only response an approving nod. "_Alright then, yoi. Teach me."_

Atche's grin stretched and he cleared his throat. "Bastard."

Thatch choked on his food.

"Bastard…?" It was obvious by his reaction that Marco didn't know what the word meant—which was _good_, because Atche wasn't sure whether they would get into trouble or not for using that sort of language. Sometimes the painted ladies would scold them if they did, but then they would use those words themselves. "_What does that mean, yoi?"_

Atche _pretended_ not to understand what was asked as Luhfi covered his mouth to quiet the fit of giggles escaping him. Eventually the boy seemed to get it out of his system… _eventually_.

"Can I do one next, Atche?"

"Go ahead, Lu."

Luhfi mimicked his sibling by clearing his throat the exact same way. "Harlot!"

"Har...lot?" Marco tried, getting the pronunciation perfectly. That had both boys giggling.

And so they began taking turns.

"Shithead!"

"Assface!"

"Fopdoodle!"

"Driggle-draggle!"

At some point they stopped waiting for Marco to repeat after them and both fell onto the pillows in a fit of immature laughter, leaving their caretaker very lost and confused. And if in the end they were chastised for using those words, Atche decided it was worth it.

* * *

><p>Marco heaved his umpteenth sigh that day as he quietly closed the door to the hatchlings' room, stopping before it latched closed in the knowledge that, should they wake sometime in the night, they wouldn't wake to a completely closed-in room. He left just enough space for the light from the private sitting room to seep in and returned to his seat on the floor, wondering what in the heavens had gotten into them. They'd spent a good half hour just muttering things to one another and giggling until finally dozing off. Thatch, that irritating feline, hadn't been of any help; everytime Marco tried to ask about what the hatchlings were saying he'd start laughing himself.<p>

Rubbing circles into his temple, Marco propped his elbows up onto the low-sitting table and glared dully at his still-snickering brother. "And just what was that about, yoi? Enlighten me."

A smile tugged at the corners of Thatch's mouth as he leaned back, arms behind his head. "It's nothing to worry about, brother. Cubs were just being silly. They were trying to teach you insults and slurs—must've picked them up back in the human world."

Marco's eyebrow twitched and he shook his head. _Little brats._ "Is that so?"

A nod. "But ultimately I think they just found it funny to say the words themselves, since they _knew_ they weren't supposed to be saying them. By the end it was just nonsense."

And then there was a sigh. _Again._ It wasn't that he was mad at all, really. He wasn't annoyed or upset, or even disappointed. It was more an all-encompassing exhaustion he felt creeping up on him, one that would take its toll should he let it.

A slap to the back had him jumping slightly, and he glared at the ever-grinning tiger. "Don't let it bother you. Cubs will be cubs, yeah?"

Marco deflated, absently clawing at the tabletop. "...I'm not bothered, yoi. I've never heard them laugh like that. It's… a good thing, isn't it?" He didn't wait for an answer. "I'm just tired."

Thatch paused a moment, his hand falling to his side. "I think we all are at this point. There's a lot to worry about right now… It's only natural."

A silence fell between them, broken only by the soft crackle and hiss of the fireplace as freshly-placed logs charred beneath the heat. It was a comfortable quiet, one that felt earned after the half hour of nonstop laughter they'd just sat through, so neither rushed to fill it. But as time passed a scent floated across the air, causing Marco's nose to scrunch up in distaste. He hadn't noticed before, perhaps because of the hatchlings' presence, but now that they were put to bed in the other room it was hard to ignore. "You visited the human lands, is that where you were off to this morning?"

Thatch glanced over, taking a moment to register the question before grinning. "Yeah. I stopped into town and bought a few human toys for the cubs. Thought it'd be better to have a few of those instead of just our old hand-me-downs."

He visibly relaxed at that, a sort of curiosity to his gaze that washed out the disgust. He could tolerate more human stench if it was for the benefit of his pets… They were deserving of it, especially with all they'd learned… It was amazing to think that two _human_ boys would be able to retain so much of their language so quickly. But as his thoughts wandered his eyes came to rest on his brother, the disheveled look of his hair and clothes. Thatch had only returned around suppertime not long before the hatchlings went to sleep, and Marco raised an eyebrow.

"And just what happened to you?"

The tiger stiffened a moment before rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah, well… Seems the humans somehow caught onto what I was. I honestly don't know how they catch me every time. They must have a sixth sense or something."

"You're eight feet tall, Thatch. I do not think the humans are so unobservant that they miss that."

"I could just be a really tall human!"

Marco let out a soft snort, eyes downcast to the etchings in the wood of the table. It irked him to hear that, even if he didn't verbalise it. Thatch knew. He _knew_ that Thatch knew. And that was part of the reason why he never asked just what the humans did upon realising Thatch was of mythos descent; he knew that his brother wouldn't tell him. And… he wasn't sure he wanted to know. "Be careful, yoi."

"Always am. You know me."

"I _do_ know you, which is why I'm telling you to be careful."

* * *

><p><strong>Bonus<strong>

"Lu, come here a second," Atche beckoned as he tugged at the nail, trying to work the last one free. A few days ago he had noticed one of the floorboards near the window sounded different than the others when their ball bounced on it—it sounded hollow while the others thunked duly. Naturally this had caught his attention. There were all sorts of interesting things one could hide in a spot like that. No one had thought of it before with _this_ spot, though, since it was still firmly nailed down. So he'd set to work, using a flat rock from the garden to lever up the nails and work them free one at at time. It was slow going since his hands were still a little tender and he didn't want the misters to know what he was doing. Experience had taught him people got mad when you started digging up their floors, even if there _was_ a hole there already.

He needed to do this, though. He had been squirreling away food for a while in a few places along with things that made Lu happy. There was nothing hidden away in this room yet, though. Every time he tried by hiding it in their bedding Luhfi would eat it. Not that he could blame his little brother, but Luhfi didn't quite understand how important having a stash _was_. The nail finally came free and Atche used the rock to nudge the board enough to get his fingers under it. The boy was ready for anything to be under there from soft dirt to an angry snake like that one time, but it was amazingly empty, a clear void between intersecting beams. Perfect for his uses. He grinned widely at his brother. "Look at this."

"I don't think Papa is gonna be happy, Atche." Luhfi worried.

"Shh it's ok, I'll put it back. I just want to put this stuff in here first." Atche nodded to the small bundles of food—mostly cheeses, dried meat and those tasty treats Thach gave them.

His brother pouted, "Why? I wanna eat it now, Atche!"

"This is our _secret_ food, like the others, right?" He began, stuffing the food in the opening. "Just in case."

Still pouting, his little brother started to help. "Dun think we need it."

Atche was starting to feel the same way. The three monsters had been really—_nice_—to them. He _liked_ them, if he was honest with himself. They always had enough to eat now, and it was _good_. But things could change. Something could happen to Thatch, Izo or Marco and then they'd be alone again. He had to be ready for that, if nothing else. Had to be ready when they got tired of taking care of them. "It's just incase."

"Atche, we'll share with Papa Marco and the others, too, right?" Luhfi asked, handing over the bag of sweets. "If something happens, and they need food, too?"

Somehow he didn't think that would ever happen, but still… "Yeah, of course, Lu. But that means we can't eat it _now_, okay?"

"Okay! It'll be our secret, right?"

"Right. In case we all need it."

* * *

><p><strong>Can anyone sense the foreboding? ...Anyone?<strong>

**To our lovelies~**

**THMLP: (B) We have no plans to abandon this story whatsoever. (A) Our updates are slow because of having other things to do and there's a lot of work that goes into each chapter, but you can always be sure we'll be back with another XD**

**Guest: (B) Everyone is so eager to see if we're putting Sabo in… What about other characters? (A) Honestly with everyone asking about Sabo it's making me not want to add him :'D Sabo's one of my characters to write, but this story is about a lot of characters and a balance between them. Regardless of who we do or don't add, everyone is important, and the story won't hinder on just one character's presence.**

**Obnoxious Mouse: (B) Thanks! We spend a lot of time in chats and calls working out all the small details. Lots of things that you guys will either never see or just don't notice (yet) just to make the world seem more real. Mmm, one of these days I'll get to drawing a map, but yeah basically the human realm and the mythos realm are separate. (A) Ahhh thank you so much! As far as the mythos and human lands go, you can think of it like two sides of one world. That isn't to say there aren't humans in the mythos realm (most are slaves, though), and there are plenty of mythos clans residing in the human realm. It's sort of another plain but access between them isn't as exclusive as you might think.**

**Guest (2): (B) Have no fear, We is here! (Hackers reference) While chapters might take a while, there will always be another chapter. (A) You're very welcome, my dear~**

**Qi Eclipse: (B) It's a lot of fun figuring out what each person should be, though we will have some familiar faces that are human as well down the line. Dragon, as we've met him already, is NOT their father. Ignoring the fact he's a dragon, he'd have known by their smell if they were his. For that matter, so would have Marco and the others. (A) There will be some more humans added, but that'll have to wait for when the humans come into play more XD Right now focus is on the relationships between the clans.**

**Boralis: (B) We kind of want to avoid berserk Papa!Marco…. but the kids won't live in a bubble. (A) Well I don't know about that specific scenario but there will come a time when the boys are able to move outside the confines of the compound XD**

**RedHeadsRock1010: (B) Sadly life calls and sometimes we don't get to update as fast as we'd like. It takes time to build such a complete world; even more when two people are working on it. (A) Updates will come with patience and gallons of caffeine!**

**Kurogane Tsubasa: (B) Marco's a busy ma- er- mythos. As much as he'd like to just spend time with his little hatchlings, as you can see, other clans get annoyed if he's slacking off. (A) We know you guys wanna see mostly Ace, Luffy and Marco together (trust me, we love writing it) but there's this biiiig story we have going on around them that we gotta build up so we're trying to find a balance between time with the kids and more important events going on. So some chapters may be boring for some people (like we know a lot of you aren't fond of the political side of things) but they're necessary, and I promise everything you see will eventually tie into one another. But we'll remember to have chapters like this where the boys are the focus :)**

**CMBrockett: (B) That's a thought. But remember that Atche and Luhfi were **_**terrified**_ **of mythos at the beginning. Teach was actually the first one they'd ever seen… and he sunk a ship! (A) All I can really say is what Beddy said - they're not really familiar with mythos, so that's something to keep in mind.**

**Guest (3): (B) Some of the people you know to have devil fruits will be mythos, and some will be human. Some canonically normal people will be powerful mythos, too. Like Thatch and Izo. While there are no devil fruits in our story we tried to mix up who ended where. (A) We decided who ended up a mythos based mainly on the personality of the character more than what they could do in canon XD**

**DaYaNa1997: (B) Awe, I feel the love! This is going to be a very long WIP at the rate we're going… you should SEE the notes for it! We're not even to the ½ way point! If we confirmed or denied what they were it would take half the fun out of the story, right? (A) Flatterer XD But unless it doesn't tie into something we've established we try our best not to give a straight answer. It would ruin the surprise!**

**BLank: (B) Yeah the last chapter read a little different because we had to tackle some of the (dreaded!) politics that are going on in the world. I know it's a little dry to read, and it's not that fun to write sometimes, but even the meetings with the councils and clans we write are going to have ripple effects. Not only is Marco **_**involved in them**_ **(and you can see how raising two humans has affected him) what they decide in these meetings will eventually affect how ALL mythos react and interact with each other and humans. So, you have the global effect, and the smaller effects. To sum up the result of the main council meeting: The merfolk were rescued (those that survived at least) and a curse WAS placed on Atlantis. If anyone calling Atlantis home spills merfolk blood, the island will sink. The rest of the council members returned to their own clans - each of them is a clan head, so they really can't be away **_**too**_ **long. Plus they have no say in Merfolk politics where Marco and the rest of the Saint Beasts do because they are SAINT BEASTS. They have a say in everything if they so choose. (A) Thanks so much for the review! And don't worry, it's not exactly the most interesting of things to read when we get into politics so it can be hard to get into it, even for us. If you need any more clarification then just let us know!**

**Shia Polux: (B) ...Were you the person who asked on Tumblr? (A) Well whether you are or aren't it's totally fine if someone wants to translate the fic. All we ask is that you give us credit, post a link back to THIS version of the fic, and give us a link if/when you post it.**

**Mithril Lace: (B) Mithril always wonderful to hear from you! Anj wasn't sure if people were going to like the Law part. He's a difficult guy to write because, as Dragon put it he's a little **_**off**_**. I'm sure you've noticed. Are you talking individual nuances or as clans? Because the things I could tell you about hashing out the details of BOTH. (A) Ahhhh you're so sweet ;v; I'm really glad to hear some people liked Law's scenes, he's difficult OTL This chapter should help with understanding Izo's death, though.**

**lostdog200: (B) Well, since she's just a sexless fry right now and he's a human bratling it'd be a loooooooooooong way off. (A) Shirahoshi's a newborn, so… :'D**

**Orange Chupa: (B) *makes contented noises* THIS is why we put so much time into building everything. You have no idea how great it feels to have someone appreciate all the little stupid character interactions we toss in that hint at the pasts we've fully thought out for everyone. And yeah, Shanks with Akainu is a shock, right? Akainu isn't all that bad of a guy even if Shanks doesn't like him. Law just fit so well with Dragon's family. It had to be done. Annnj can I share some Dragon Clan Lore? (A) No, Beddy, no. There'll be a lot more describing exactly what the rage is, and what goes on when dragons are in rage coming up! Thanks so much for your review, it brought a smile to our faces ;v;**

**Smoochynose: (B) Thank you~ (A) Glad you like!**

**Sparkyflame101: (B) If you think it's good now…. (A) We have PLANS, friend. It's only going to get better ;)**

**LuNaLoverForever: (B) Here you go! (A) Here!**

**6Lisa9: (B) Otohime interacting with the little ones was fun. She's actually really good with younglings being a mother and all so it was a novel change from our Saint Beasts. (A) Time moves differently in the chapters depending on what scenes are needed. Soemtimes slow, sometimes fast.**

**Carol Zoldik: (B) You think our writing is fluid…. *smiles contentedly* That's all Anj's amazing editing though. (A) We write our halves separately and then mesh them together… There's so many parts of the scenes that need to be tweaked and I have to set aside a day to go over it a few times and rewrite parts for it, it's part of what slows down updates :'D**

**MaskedPyro: (B) Law actually can't take over for Dragon. I can't say much (because we'll be getting into his story eventually) but it has to do with WHY he's with Dragon's family of Western Dragons while he is an Eastern one. (A) Law's lineage unfortunately doesn't allow him to take over the clan because he's not from any of the noble families, and he's from another clan to begin with. But he has his own very important role to play. And sadly Izo's death is set in stone, but I don't think it'll be as bad as you think :'D**

**cantorahegadoorn: (B) Too bad a busy bird's work is never done though… (A) You're very welcome dear!**

**samettikettu: (B) Well how else was he going to explain female? They haven't covered that. And Ace isn't the ONLY vulgar little brat. (A) I won't ask XD**

**Nala1220: (B) Otohime is like the indulgent aunt that's going to insist on helping out her friend now that he's a father. Even if he doesn't KNOW he's a father. (A) Well you're in luck because this whole chapter was focused on the boys XD**

**94Insane: (B) It's our best kept secret though we're trying to get the word out. (A) We've tried letting people know about our joint account but unfortunately there will always be people who miss X'D**

**LeafyxThiefy: (B) ….I'm confused. (A) ….Hun sorry but I think you reviewed the wrong story :''''D**

**MOu505: (B) Never apologize for long reviews. It's what keeps us writers going; knowing people appreciate what we do. Knowing that all the little details and effort we put into building the world and the relationships between everyone paid off because you SPOTTED it and it makes everything more 'real' inspires us to keep going. (A) Trust us, we LIVE for long reviews XD And honestly hun, you're so sweet. It's so nice to see people getting so excited over something we've made ;v;**

**lostdog200: (B) You're welcome! (A) No problem hun~**

**YaoiChick1: (B) Our Mythos boys make such a big deal out of the language because for starters they don't see children (human children in particular) often. These guys are bachelors. Not to mention the adult humans that they've seen in mythos land DO NOT SPEAK MYTHOS. It's punishable by death for a slave firstly, and secondly they truly believe that it's much too complicated for a human to learn. From their viewpoint humans are foolish things, having so many different languages instead of just one. But think about it, Mythos Language must be able to be spoken by ALL mythos in their … we'll call it social form. Fangs, split tongues, sometimes beaks or missing teeth. They all speak the same language. It IS a complex one. (A) The thing about the language is more them not understanding that humans ARE, in fact, capable of picking up on their language, not so much that humans having trouble learning it is fact. Law's backstory will be revealed, as with the backstories with most characters! And dragons are known for having a better relationship with humans than most clans. They're a bit… odd that way.**

**SisterAssassins: (B) Hope you weren't disappointed by Oyaji's meeting… (A) Fortunately for Oyaji, they trusted Marco enough not to panic XD**

**MissJenca: (B) Children, always the tension breaker. Mostly because it goes over their heads as in this case. (A) Fluff is always great to add, but only when it builds on the characters XD**

**FireOfTruth: (B) Thank you very much! (A) Hehe well here's more~**

**The Magical Kaitou KID: (B) You're very welcome and here's more! (A) You're welcome!**

**Adieu~**

***chapter quote by Mark Twain**


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